Plante Moran Endowed Scholarship

Purpose:

This fund is established to provide scholarships to University accounting students to support their academic success and inspire them to pursue career opportunities with organizations like Plante Moran. The scholarship will assist in developing well-qualified professionals in the accounting community. Additionally, the fund aims to enhance the diversity within the accounting student population.

The fund is established by donor, Brad McQueen. Brad serves as the Colorado Regional Managing Partner at Plante Moran, overseeing the growth and development of the firm’s staff in the Broomfield, Denver, and Fort Collins offices. With over 25 years of experience. Brad is highly regarded for his collaborative, proactive, and responsive approach. His career spans work with private equity-backed and family-owned companies across industries such as manufacturing, distribution, high-tech, biotech, and commercial services.

Brad is a valued mentor, known around the office as both a technical resource and a supportive sounding board. His passion for staff development brought him back to public accounting after a two-year stint in industry. He has taught an advanced auditing course at the University of Denver for nearly a decade and was honored as the “Adjunct Faculty of the Year.”

Brad holds memberships in the AICPA and the Colorado Society of CPAs and is active with the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. He earned his B.S. in Accounting from Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) in 1995 and an M.B.A. from the University of Denver. Brad’s journey began as a bank teller, where he developed a love for the financial industry and pursued his degree at MSU Denver, which allowed him to balance work and school. Outside of work, Brad enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and can often be found hiking or mountaineering with friends and family.

Criteria:
The scholarship recipient shall:
• Be meeting the University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements and cannot be in default or owe any refund/repayment of federal, state or institutional aid
• Complete the University’s general scholarship application
• Have a declared major in accounting
• Be taking a minimum of 6 credit hours during the semester(s) the scholarship is received
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
• Write an essay of at least 500 words that addresses the following:
“Share how your background or experiences have influenced your views on the importance of diversity in professional industries like accounting. How would you contribute to fostering an inclusive environment within your future career?”

DACA/ASSET students are eligible

The scholarship is renewable for those students who continue to qualify