Chad Sponsler is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting at Hamline University, specializing in tax, accounting, and business law education. A licensed Minnesota attorney and certified public accountant (CPA) in North Dakota, he brings practical expertise from managing agricultural commodities and teaching roles at the University of North Dakota and the University of Shanghai for Science & Technology. Education: J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law, MBT from University of Minnesota, MBA and B.A. in Accountancy from University of North Dakota His research explores educational tax incentives, student loan financing mechanisms, and factors influencing uniform CPA exam performance. Sponsler's interdisciplinary background bridges legal, accounting, and business education domains.
Clare Burns serves as Instructor and Director of the Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A.) Program at Lamar University's School of Accounting, Finance and Economics, where she has taught since 2006. Her responsibilities include directing the M.S.A. program since 2011 and teaching undergraduate, MBA, and graduate accounting courses including Advanced Auditing and the Professional Accountancy Capstone. Her educational background includes: MBA from Lamar University Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification Burns' research integrates practical auditing experience with educational innovation. Her work examines risk assessment in non-profit healthcare accounting, social responsibility auditing frameworks, and evidence-based methods to improve accounting education outcomes. She investigates how structured feedback loops enhance strategy audits and documents effective approaches for developing critical thinking skills in accounting students. Her publication record shows concentrated research activity from 2015-2020, with significant contributions to auditing literature and accounting education scholarship. Recent work demonstrates increasing specialization in healthcare non-profit auditing while maintaining strong contributions to CPA exam preparation pedagogy and audit documentation standards. As M.S.A. Program Director, Burns actively mentors students through career counseling, CPA exam preparation guidance, and industry networking opportunities. She has facilitated numerous student internships and job placements while developing assessment tools to enhance program effectiveness. Her university service spans curriculum development, strategic planning, and accreditation initiatives across departmental, college, and university levels.
