University of Mississippi alumnus Tom Weissinger credits the education he received at the Patterson School of Accountancy (PSOA) with the strong foundation for a successful career.
Now, by providing some of the financial resources needed to build the PSOA a new home, Weissinger is supporting the effort to strengthen the celebrated school for future generations of students.
And he’s challenging others to join him: During Giving Day on Tuesday and Wednesday (April 9-10), the more gifts others make to the Patterson School of Accountancy Building Fund, the more he will give. Weissinger is offering to contribute $5,000 for every 10 gifts of any size made to the fund, up to $50,000.
“I wanted to use my contribution to the building fund as a challenge gift during this year’s Giving Day to encourage others to support the construction of the planned four-story facility,” Weissinger said.
“The fact that this new building is being funded in part by accountancy alumni is really remarkable,” he continued. “It shows the impact the school has made on each of their lives, just as it did on mine — giving me a great education and a foundation of accounting knowledge that helped establish my career.”
The donor earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accountancy from Ole Miss in 1998 and 1999, respectively. He then accepted a position with Frazier & Deeter LLC and joined the firm’s audit department in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2012, he co-founded the accountancy firm Seay & Weissinger LLC in Atlanta.
Weissinger said his gift reflects his appreciation for PSOA faculty, specifically Mark Wilder, the dean and holder of the KPMG Chair of Accountancy, and Jimmy Davis, holder of the Peery Chair of Accountancy.
“I looked up to those two professors in particular for their unique talent of making the most difficult accounting courses seem easy to understand,” Weissinger said.
“Tom is enjoying a wonderful career and is a great role model for others,” the dean said. “We greatly appreciate his desire to support our new building, which pushes us closer to our goal of becoming the top accountancy school in the nation.”
To recognize his gift, a team study room in the new facility will be named in Weissinger’s honor.
The 100,000-square-foot building will be constructed at the intersection of University Avenue and Grove Loop and overlook the university’s iconic Grove. The facility will feature tiered auditoriums and classrooms, study areas, conference rooms, administrative and facility office suites, and outdoor balconies and terraces.
While accountancy students now attend classes all over campus, the new building will centralize classes.
To participate in Weissinger’s Giving Day challenge, visit here. For more information, contact Jason McCormick, executive director for development, at jason@olemiss.edu or 662-915-1757.
By Jonathan Scott/UM Development