Nikki Chappell

Why FSU?

I chose the Accounting Program because of the people (students and faculty). They took the time to get to know me and find out what was important to me. They cared about me and offered to help in any way they could.

Motivation to pursue a graduate degree

I worked in industry for over 20 years and was burnt out. I love accounting and wanted to stay in accounting, so I decided to pursue a doctorate degree. This way, I can continue to learn through research, and I can (hopefully) pass my love of accounting to future students.

Importance and/or impact of research and work

I plan to specialize in banking research, where I analyze how regulations affect banks and ultimately the stability of the financial system. I worked at a large financial institution during the financial crisis and saw firsthand how the actions of banks can affect the financial system and the economy. I hope to provide research that will help regulators to prevent another financial crisis like the one that we had in 2007-2009.

Career aspirations

My professional career objective is to become a tenure-track assistant professor of accounting at a R1 university so that I can conduct research centered on companies’ response to new regulations and positively impact future generations of accountants. I plan to research how firms react to new rules from accounting and industry regulators and how firms’ accounting leadership can affect financial statements. Also, I want to positively impact future generations of potential accountants by bringing my 20+ years’ experience and love of accounting into the classroom.

Advice for anyone considering graduate school

My advice to anyone considering graduate school is to just do it. There will be highs and lows, but the journey is well worth it.