The Accounting Society at Baylor was founded to solve a simple problem: despite most other business majors having a student organization to represent them (sometimes more than one), what was then the largest major in the business school had none.
At the time, there was no place for student-led community or leadership among accounting students, leaving them with inadequate opportunities for personal and professional growth. This was particularly problematic for younger students who had yet to declare a major in accounting as they were not part of the accounting department’s programming and had no clear way to explore the professional opportunities of an accounting career or connect with likeminded peers.
That changed in the October 2023. Our founding President, Caleb S. Brown, had a vision for stronger, more interconnected community of accounting students. Christian Woolsey, who sat next to Caleb in their Introduction to Business class, was easily convinced and soon became the founding Vice President. The two of them formed the original group of six founders, all of whom had just started at Baylor that fall and had yet to start the accounting major.
The founding group had their first meeting by the Starbucks in Moody Library in late November 2023. They quickly agreed on the bylaws Caleb wrote over Thanksgiving break, discussed plans for future events and activities and assigned officer roles amongst themselves. These officers included Hannah Salvagni (Treasurer), Miles McCavit (Secretary), Chloe Miller (Chaplain and Service Chair) and Nate Zungia (Editor). Caleb and Christian also reported on their meeting with Professor Don Carpenter who agreed to be the society’s faculty advisor.
They met once again that fall and a few more times in spring 2024. By February, they had submitted their application to Student Activities for recognition as a chartered student organization. The spring also saw the creation of the Accounting Society logo, the framing of the society’s mission statement and the recruitment of a growing officer team.
The society incorporated as a nonprofit corporation in Texas on May 2, 2024, and the Board of Directors had its organizational board meeting on May 12, 2024. The Internal Revenue Service approved the society’s application to be considered a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization on June 21, 2024. Finally, the Vice President for Student Life approved the society as a chartered student organization, allowing the society to organize events on campus.
Beginning in fall 2024, the society’s first semester of operation was rough. Officers were dropping like flies, events were regularly cancelled and attendance was low or nonexistent. The committee system in particular was dreadfully ineffective, with many members joining but few ever contributing. But there were signs of hope, such as the society’s involvement with the accounting extravaganza, the society joining the Business Council and strong membership recruitment in the first few weeks.
While imperfect, spring 2025 was much more smooth and consistent than the fall. The society instituted a new operating system, with most of the ineffective committees being abolished. In their place, an Executive Council consisting of the President and a few senior officers was created, each of whom lead an operating committee. Operating committees, in turn, consisted of staff officers who had specific duties but could also cooperate with others. Under this system, the society consistently held events nearly every week, including its first ever debate competition and banquet. Attendance was still a problem, however, impairing the society’s reputation and its ability to operate effectively.
After a challenging first year, the society finally started gaining significant momentum in fall 2025. The society peaked at over 100 dues-paying members for the first time and society meetings regularly exceeded 30+ attendees. Also, under new bylaws adopted near the semester end, the Presidency was divided into two roles, one the chairman of the board (the President) and the chief executive officer of the society (the Executive Director). The Board of Directors unanimously appointed Charlotte Tran as the society’s first Executive Director on December 5, 2025.