The W. Frank Barton School of Business is the home of real and applied learning.
A place where students apply knowledge gained from faculty and business leaders while
developing professional and life skills. The Barton School is among the top 1% of
business schools worldwide, with double AACSB accreditation in business and accounting.
The school is housed in an award-winning building, Woolsey Hall, which serves as a
cornerstone for challenging yet supportive educational opportunities. Woolsey Hall
also features remarkable artwork, sculptures, gardens and The Promise Bridge, a 300-foot-long
pedestrian bridge over the water in front of the building.
The W. Frank Barton School of Business' School of Accountancy at Wichita State University
has announced the return of its annual Barton Accounting Forum on May 15, 2024. This one-day conference is tailored for accounting and finance professionals, as
well as students studying accounting. Attendees can receive eight hours of Continuing
Professional Education credits by participating in the conference in addition to invaluable
networking opportunities. This marks the first conference held by the School of Accountancy
since 2022, and it will take place on Wichita State’s campus.
“The conference has been a great success for us for over 45 years,” said Christine
Porter, director of the Barton School of Accountancy. “Like many things, we had to
adjust during the pandemic. But this time away has been spent fine-tuning how to make
the conference an even bigger success. We’re excited to bring this revamped event
to accounting professionals in May.”
The conference will feature a keynote speaker, stand-alone presentations, and panel
discussions, along with numerous networking opportunities during the breakfast, lunch,
and social hour portions of the event. Various pertinent and future-focused topics
will be discussed throughout the event, including a presentation from an artificial
intelligence specialist on AI’s impact on the accounting industry.
“The most significant changes in the world of accounting range from the CPE Evolution
to an increased focus on Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence in the profession
as a whole,” said Laura Zellers, senior educator at Barton’s School of Accountancy.
“As an educational leader in the space, it is our responsibility to help accounting
and finance professionals stay at the forefront of the industry.”
The conference, historically held offsite, will now take place at Woolsey Hall, the
new home of the Barton School that opened in 2022. In addition to the conference returning
to campus, the School of Accountancy is excited about a renewed partnership with the
Barton School’s Center for Management Development (CMD). This partnership with CMD
is just one of the ways the conference has been improved, creating opportunities for
networking and placing added focus on the conference experience. For those interested
in attending, enrollment is now open at www.wichita.edu/accountingforum.
“The School of Accountancy does amazing work throughout the year sharing innovative
and valuable accounting insights,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, Dean of the Barton School.
“The reinstallation of this landmark conference will benefit the Wichita community
and help all industry professionals as they seek to gain knowledge and connections
imperative to their industry.”
