Xiwen (Cecilia) Sun Receives Deloitte Foundation Doctoral Fellowship
The Deloitte Foundation has awarded a $25,000 Doctoral Fellowship to Xiwen (Cecilia) Sun, a 3rd year accounting Ph.D. candidate.
The Deloitte Foundation Doctoral Fellowship awards are intended to help strengthen the pipeline of accounting faculty by supporting Ph.D. candidates who plan to pursue academic careers. For 70 years, this program has awarded fellowships to 10 top accounting Ph.D. candidates across the U.S. — helping them cover expenses during their final year of coursework and subsequent year to complete their doctoral dissertation.
When notified of this award, Cecila stated: “I am truly honored and grateful for this fellowship, which enables me to continue pursuing rigorous, timely research that advances academic dialogue and informs policy and investor decision-making. My research focuses on corporate disclosure, especially how emerging reporting practices shape capital markets and how market participants interpret and respond to those signals.”
Each year, accounting doctoral students from more than 100 universities are invited to apply for the fellowship. A selection committee composed of eminent accounting educators chose this year’s recipients who were nominated by accounting faculty at their school. Since inception, the program has supported nearly 1,200 doctorates.
“The Deloitte Foundation helps prepare students for the future of work. A strong pipeline of faculty can help shape a future workforce that is prepared for career success,” said Erin Scanlon, Deloitte Foundation president. “Doctoral study can be demanding — especially at the point where candidates are completing advanced coursework and pushing their dissertation across the finish line. This fellowship program is designed to help Fellows maintain momentum through that critical transition.”
Dr. Sarah Stein, the ACIS Ph.D. Program Director stated: “Cecilia is very deserving of this award, and we are incredibly grateful for Deloitte’s support of our Ph.D. students. We are thrilled to see our Ph.D. students recognized at the national level, earning four Deloitte Foundation Fellowships in the past seven years. This recognition speaks to both the caliber of our students and the rigor of our program in preparing them for impactful research careers.”
The Deloitte Foundation, founded in 1928, is a not-for-profit organization that supports education in the U.S. through a variety of initiatives that help develop the next generation of business leaders, and their influencers, and promote excellence in teaching, research and curriculum innovation. The Foundation sponsors an array of national programs relevant to a variety of professional services, benefiting high school students, undergraduates, graduate students and educators. Learn more about the Deloitte Foundation.