East Central University student Kendall Hargis recently learned that she passed the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) examination, one of the premier certifications in the fields of accounting and finance.
The CTP certification requires those sitting for the exam to demonstrate mastery of knowledge domains pertinent to corporate treasury management.
Hargis, a senior accounting major from Ada, is expected to graduate with both a bachelor of science with a major in accounting and a certificate in accounting with a concentration in treasury management in December 2018.
Under the direction of Randall Stone, ECU instructor of accounting and Horne and Company Endowed Professor of Accounting, Hargis took a course in treasury management in the fall. She will be the first student to graduate with the university’s newly launched certificate in accounting – treasury management program.
“Passing the CTP examination is an intimidating challenge as the exam contains authored by subject matter experts having decades of experience in the field of finance and accounting,” said Stone. “So, for Kendall to pass the CTP exam without having work experience in the treasury profession, is a testament to her work ethic and comprehensive knowledge of the finance and accounting studies. Kendall is an exceptional student and is set to have a successful career in our profession.”
The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) administers the CTP examination. The AFP is a professional society of over 16,000 treasury and financial professionals around the world that is committed to advancing the success of its members and their organizations.
“Although the CTP exam’s breadth of content is much narrower and focused compared to that of the CPA exam, the testing environment and ability to recall formulas and apply them to case scenarios is,” Stone said. “Both exams require the test to be proctored at professional testing centers and are quite an adventure, in and of themselves.”
Roughly 2,500 individuals register for the exam annually. The rigorous computer-based exam consists of 170 multiple-choice questions and is given worldwide during two annual testing windows. The historical passage rate for the CTP examination is approximately 42 percent for first-time test takers.
The Certified Treasury Professional® (CTP) designation serves as a benchmark of competency in the finance profession and is recognized as the leading credential in corporate treasury worldwide. Sponsored by the Association for Financial Professionals® (AFP), the CTP credential signifies that you have demonstrated the knowledge and skills required to effectively execute critical functions related to corporate liquidity, capital and risk management. In today’s environment, companies are looking for proven and ethical professionals.
“Passing the CTP on my first attempt gave me a great sense of self-confidence and has increased my desire to continue the pursuit of the CPA exam too,” said Hargis. “I am very excited with what the future will hold with this milestone behind me and now I have the confidence to take on the CPA exam next.”
Since ECU is a member of the AFP’s university-base corporate treasury management program, students in Stone’s class received a discounted textbook and were able to sit for the CTP exam at a steeply-reduced rate. Stone led the effort to affiliate ECU with the AFP in 2014 and ECU stands as the only college or university in Oklahoma to currently offer this unique partnership with the AFP.
“I am extremely grateful for the leadership provided by Mr. Stone and the Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business,” Hargis said. “Furthermore, without the university’s relationship with the Association for Financial Professionals, I would never have been exposed to this certification.”
For more information about the ECU certification in accounting – treasury management program and its requirements, contact Stone at 580-559-5527 or rstone@ecok.edu.
The ECU Stonecipher School of Business is accredited by the ACBSP with a bachelor of science in accounting, bachelor of science in business administration and master of science in accounting. A master in management is a new program.
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