Trinity Graduate Secures a Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Position

Brette Thornton ’23, M'24 will be starting her position in the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Postgraduate Technical Assistant Program in January 2025. Not only is Thornton the first Trinity University graduate to be selected for this program, but she also managed to stand out among other highly qualified applicants to be selected for this competitive and sought-after position.

The selection process is so intensive that a university must be selected to even nominate a candidate from their university’s accounting department to apply for the program. “The application process was one of the more strenuous ones I had been through, which made it even more rewarding in the end,” Thornton says. “Once my application was selected, I had a full day of interviews, seven to be exact, with a variety of the professional staff, during which I was asked to describe and demonstrate my interest in the work, my accounting knowledge, and other skills I could bring to the position.”

The GASB Postgraduate Technical Assistant Program is a one-year term that allows individuals interested in pursuing a career in accounting to have an in-depth understanding of the roles played by preparers, auditors, and users of financial information. Postgraduate Technical Assistants are able to work on major agenda projects and short-term practice and implementation issues. This program allows them to develop skills through analyzing written submissions received on documents issued for public comment, reviewing and analyzing published research, preparing memorandums on technical issues for Board members’ information, drafting due process documents, and evaluating accounting proposals of other organizations.

Thornton is beyond excited to see another side of accounting and gain valuable skills. “It will require research and writing skills that I haven't often used in accounting specifically, but I know I have a passion for, based on classwork at Trinity as well as my position as a graduate assistant,” she says. “I am excited to be working alongside a number of other Postgraduate Technical Assistants, who will also have just graduated from accounting programs all over the country, including one of my classmates, James King ’23, M’24.”

Thornton, an accounting major and sport management minor, was involved across campus during her time at Trinity. She played for the varsity volleyball team and participated in the Catholic Student Group and Residential Life. She also worked as a statistician and photographer for sports information in the athletics department, a facility manager of the Bell Center, and a graduate assistant for Jacob Tingle ’95, Ed.D., in the Sport Management Program.

Thornton credits accounting professor Julie Persellin, Ph.D., as one of her biggest mentors at Trinity. “She helped me decide to declare accounting as my major, navigated class schedules with me, willingly wrote reference letters for a number of internships, and nominated me for this position, along with Professor [Sunita] White,” she says. “Dr. [Amy Foshee] Holmes also took the time to help me prepare for my interviews, and Mr. [James] Maxey provided me encouragement and advice throughout the process. They all played a special role in my selection for this position, and I will forever be grateful for them, their hard work, and kind words.”

Thornton advises anyone interested in a position similar to hers to build a diverse skill set by seeking out a variety of roles in multiple areas of their interests. “When the opportunity for it all to pay off presents itself, go for it with full confidence because you will have put in the work to do the job and do it well,” she says.