Five Questions With New Accounting Professor Dr. Mary Im

The UAB School of Business is pleased to welcome Dr. Im to the Accounting & Finance Department. An expert in accounting for nonprofits, Dr. Im begins her UAB career with two classes of AC 514, Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting. If she's not in class or in her office, you'll likely spy her in a Southside café, taking in the culinary delights of her newly adopted city with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Grace.  A Certified Public Accountant, Dr. Im earned her PhD in Accounting from the University of Georgia after earning an MBA from Claremont Graduate University in California, a bachelor's degree in accounting from The Ohio State University and a bachelor's degree in English and Korean Literature from Sogang University in South Korea.

Q)  You have a background in English and Korean Literature. How did you make the transition to accounting?
A)  I studied English and Korean Literature as an undergrad in Korea but it didn't provide a real vocation.  My father suggested I go to the United States and study.  When I was at The Ohio State University, I took one accounting class, and there I found an answer.  I liked how clear and logical it was. Everything had an answer.

Q)  What do you find interesting about nonprofit accounting?
A)  I went to Tibet as an English Teacher after earning my MBA but before I started working on my PhD.  It was a life-changing experience and motivated me to study how nonprofits function.  It's very different from corporate accounting.  There is not a lot of oversight with nonprofits, and they often don't have enough resources to support a financial area. Many don't have any financial expertise.

Q) What do you do when you're not conducting researching or in class?
A)  I spend time with Grace, my 2-year-old baby girl.  My husband is at the University of Georgia finishing up his PhD in Marketing, so when he visits on weekend, the three of us go try out all sorts of restaurants in Birmingham.  We really love the city.

Q) What apps get the most use on your phone?
A)  Facebook and KakaoTalk (free sms app)!

Q)  What is the most important skill an accounting student should master before graduating?
A)  Being able to reach a conclusion when there is no right answer.