Iona Student Recognized Among Nation’s Top Accounting Scholars
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board named rising senior Nana Yeboah '27 a 2026-27 PCAOB Scholar, recognizing academic excellence, leadership and commitment to a career in accounting.
For Nana Yeboah '27, accounting is more than balancing ledgers or analyzing financial statements. It serves as a medium for helping people make informed decisions, strengthening organizations and creating lasting impact in the communities they serve.
That mindset has earned the rising senior accounting major national recognition as a 2026-2027 PCAOB Scholar, a prestigious honor awarded by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to outstanding accounting students across the country.
One of 677 students selected nationwide, Yeboah received the merit-based scholarship in recognition of her academic excellence, leadership, ethical character and commitment to pursuing a career in accounting and auditing.
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this opportunity and for the support I have received throughout my academic journey at Iona University," Yeboah said. "Receiving the PCAOB Scholarship has motivated me to continue striving for excellence and growing as a future accounting professional."
A Bronx, N.Y., native and graduate of Cardinal Spellman High School, Yeboah has embraced opportunities both inside and outside the classroom during her time at Iona. Alongside her studies in the LaPenta School of Business, she serves as co-president of the Student Leadership Alliance for Multiculturalism (SLAM) and co-captain of the Iona Step Team, experiences she credits with strengthening her leadership, communication and teamwork skills.
"My experience at Iona has provided me with opportunities to grow academically, professionally and personally," Yeboah said. "These experiences, combined with the support of Iona's faculty and the opportunities within the LaPenta School of Business, have helped me build confidence, strengthen my leadership abilities and prepare me for a successful career in accounting."
After completing her senior year at Iona, Yeboah plans to become a Certified Public Accountant, earn a master's degree in accounting and eventually establish her own firm. Along the way, she hopes to mentor aspiring accountants and use her expertise to help individuals and businesses achieve financial success.
ABOUT THE PCAOB SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 provides that funds from the collection of PCAOB monetary penalties must be used to fund a merit scholarship program for students in accredited accounting degree programs. Since launching its Scholars Program in 2011, the PCAOB has awarded nearly $53 million in scholarships to nearly 4,300 recipients. The total amount awarded this year is over $10 million.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of over 4,000 students and an alumni base of 55,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing & Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2026, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 6 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review once again named Iona to its “Best Business Schools for 2025,” recognizing both its on-campus and online MBA programs. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.