Professor Elizabeth Quaye: Innovating Accounting Education and Expanding Student Engagement

York College recently launched “Faculty in Motion” a new online series designed to spotlight the scholarship, creativity, and impact of our distinguished faculty. The series highlights the dynamic work being produced across disciplines and offers insight into how faculty research, teaching, and community engagement shape the intellectual life of the college.

The series continues with a featured look at Professor Elizabeth Quaye, an assistant professor of Accounting in the Department of Accounting, deeply committed to transforming how students perceive and engage with the field of accounting. Her work centers on making accounting more interesting, accessible, and relevant to a diverse range of students.

A key focus of Professor Quaye’s approach is incorporating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence into accounting education. While she recognizes the potential of AI to enhance learning and modernize the profession, she also remains cautious. She notes that overreliance on AI can sometimes diminish the critical thinking and hands-on experience that accounting students—and even professionals—need to develop.

Professor Quaye places strong emphasis on student voices. She actively seeks to understand how students feel about accounting, including their doubts, misconceptions, and overall perceptions of the field. By listening closely to students and research participants, she aims to reshape accounting education in a way that better aligns with their needs and expectations.

Another important aspect of her work is focusing on diverse student learning styles. She is exploring ways to tailor teaching methods to ensure that all students can effectively grasp accounting concepts, regardless of their preferred learning approach.

Professor Quaye also highlights the versatility of an accounting education. She emphasizes that accountants are present in virtually every industry—from hospitals and government agencies to the public and private sectors. Through her teaching, she aims to expose students to the wide range of opportunities that an accounting background can provide, even for those who do not plan to become professional accountants. She believes that accounting knowledge opens many doors and serves as a valuable foundation for numerous career paths.

In her research on enhancing the accounting pipeline, one of the greatest challenges she has faced is encouraging student participation. Recruiting participants required significant effort, including building trust, engaging in meaningful conversations, and ensuring that she accurately captures both student perspectives 

Through her teaching and research, Professor Quaye continues to push the boundaries of traditional accounting education, striving to make it more inclusive, engaging, and forward-thinking.

View Prof. Quaye’s interview, the second installment in the “Faculty in Motion” online series.