Barrett Recognized with National Accounting Award

When people win a significant monetary prize, they often seek an accountant to help them with their finances. But what about when the prize winner is an accountant, themself?

Robyn Barrett, a professor of accounting at STLCC-Meramec, was selected as a recipient of the American Accounting Association/J. Michael and Mary Anne Cook/Deloitte Foundation Prize. The award recognizes superior teachers in the discipline of accounting. Barrett was selected as one of just three winners and earned the prize in the two-year college educator category. She will receive a monetary prize of $27,500.

“I am shocked and honored to win the Cook Prize,” Barrett said. “I honestly didn’t expect to win, as we are the only two-year, four-year or graduate school to have two winners from the same college in the seven years that this award has been given.”

Barrett has earned several teaching awards in her career, including the Rouche Excellence Award for Teaching from the League for Innovation, the 2020-2021 League for Innovation Excellence Award, and most recently, was named a spring 2021 Meramec Rise-Up Award winner.

She will receive a solid silver medal along with her monetary prize and will be honored at this year’s AAA annual meeting. However, this year’s event is being held virtually, with plans to fully recognize the 2021 winners at next year’s conference.

“The money had great timing; we are redoing our basement,” Barrett said. “I also hope that my family can attend the conference with me in San Diego in 2022.”

Later this month, Barrett will be presenting virtually at the AAA awards ceremony. She was asked to describe her journey to becoming the educator that she is today. That journey has included 15 years in the business industry prior to joining academic, including eight years of information systems work and seven years in public accounting. Barrett is also an active volunteer and has served as the co-chair of AAA’s Conference on Teaching and Learning in Accounting, and is a past two-time president of the Missouri Association of Accounting Educators.

The AAA is the largest community of accountants in academia with a history built on leading-edge research and publications and a vision to be thought leaders in accounting. Their mission is to further accounting through education, research and service.

STLCC-Meramec’s Markus Ahrens won the award from the AAA in 2016, and Barrett gives credit to being part of an impressive program on campus.

“Our Accounting department is second to none. We have outstanding faculty who all represent STLCC very well by serving in state and national leadership roles,” she said. “Having the support from the College to attend conferences and learn from other colleagues from across the country allows us to continue to learn new techniques to use in the classroom.”

Barrett said she hoped the award would lead to more good things for STLCC accounting students.

“I hope the award is just icing on the cake,” she said. “Attending conferences with other accounting professors from across the country, collaborating and presenting with them puts STLCC on the map. This exposure helps build professional relationships to build new courses and career tracks for our students.”