Sharon Lassar:

Director, School of Accountancy

At the helm of the School of Accountancy for just a year, Sharon Lassar already has led an initiative that resulted in the first Accounting Scholars Development Program at DU. The program brought 35 community college students from diverse backgrounds and from around the country to campus to get a deeper look at accounting, professional development, financial literacy and accounting education.

“My personal passion is to use my profession to help the greater community and to open doors for underserved populations,” said Lassar, who serves on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Minority Initiatives Committee and on the Corporate Advisory Board for ALPFA, the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting.

“It is important for the School of Accountancy to draw individuals from all communities because those people go back to their communities to help small businesses grow and to help people plan for their futures,” she explained. “The larger goal of our outreach is to educate financial professionals who will in turn help the country as a whole grow and be more financially secure.”