Rider Offers Scholarships, Reduced Tuition On Accounting Program

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ — Qualifying students in Rider University’s accounting program can now receive a $2,000 scholarship that’s renewable each year while they complete their undergraduate accounting degree, the university announced.

Then, they will receive a 30% discount on their graduate program in accounting, business administration, finance or information systems.

The scholarships and reduced tuition begin in fall 2020. The students must enroll in the 4+1 accelerated program as freshmen to be eligible for the new financial incentives.

“For highly motivated students, this new program provides a smart opportunity for them to benefit from Rider’s outstanding business programs both more quickly and at a reduced cost,” Interim Dean of Rider’s Norm Brodsky College of Business Dr. Eugene Kutcher said.

Rider's business and accounting programs, on the graduate and undergraduate level, hold dual accreditation by AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This distinction is held by less than 2 percent of programs worldwide, according to the university.

For several years, Rider’s Norm Brodsky College of Business has offered entering first-year students multiple ways to complete an accelerated degree. One gives students the opportunity to earn an AACSB-accredited undergraduate business degree in three years, and a graduate business degree in one year.

Adriana Tirado earned a bachelor’s in accounting in three years, and entered the graduate accounting program in September.

“My professors were absolutely incredible,” Tirado said. “They gave me guidance and direction and really helped out and cared.”

As an undergraduate, she completed two internships, at Wilkin & Guttenplan in East Brunswick and Mercadien in Lawrenceville. Before beginning the graduate program, Tirado completed a third internship, with KPMG.

"What I learned in the classroom gave me a great foundation and all of my internship experiences helped me grow my knowledge and apply it to a work environment," she said. “I’ve learned more than I ever could have imagined interning with KPMG. I’m so fortunate to have the opportunity to work at this company.”

“While these programs are demanding, I have seen many students realize the benefit of such hard work by graduating faster and entering the workforce sooner,” Rider Accounting Department Chair Dr. Margaret O’Reilly-Allen said.

Rider's undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting are regularly recognized in national rankings for their excellence in preparing graduates for success in the field, including with the Big 4 accounting firms as well as large regional firms and major corporations.

This year, Rider graduate business programs are marking a half-century milestone. Rider launched its first graduate business program, the Master of Business Administration, in 1968 and graduated its first class in 1970. Rider launched its Master of Accountancy program in 1996 and introduced the Executive Master of Business Administration in 2005. The university's business graduate programs also now include corporate finance and information systems.

"For many years, Rider students have received an exceptional value and benefit in choosing to study business and accounting here," Kutcher said. "This new offering allows them to receive an exceptional education while also saving money and beginning their careers sooner. We're very proud to continually look for creative ways to better serve our students."