Madelyn Parsons is a Senior Instructor and Director of Recruiting and Professional Development in the Accounting Area at Portland State University’s School of Business. Since joining PSU in 2018, Madelyn has built a reputation as an exceptional educator and a pillar of the student support system. Her work is driven by a commitment to student growth and the belief that accounting offers a strong pathway to life-changing career mobility, particularly for those facing systemic barriers.
Madelyn teaches across the fundamental and intermediate accounting series, allowing her to engage with students throughout their educational journeys. She has led curriculum redesigns to improve student outcomes, including developing scaffolded materials to strengthen foundational skills and aligning coursework with evolving CPA exam and state requirements. She integrates professional skill-building into her courses, helping students build confidence for their future careers. As Course Coordinator for Financial and Managerial Accounting, she has improved course consistency and reduced textbook costs by 50%, increasing access to high-quality learning materials.
Beyond her classroom instruction, Madelyn is a tireless advocate for student career readiness. Through individualized coaching, professional development programming, and employer partnerships, she helps students translate their academic experiences into meaningful professional pathways. She has introduced career tools and resources now used across the School of Business and partnered with colleagues to embed career readiness within accounting coursework. Most recently, she created the weekly “Accounting Career Bites” series to provide students with low-barrier access to networking and professional development opportunities.
Her dedication to the PSU community has been recognized with the PSU Transfer Champion Award and two Brenda Eichelberger “Extra Mile” Teaching Awards. She contributes to statewide initiatives supporting transfer students and serves nationally on the American Accounting Association’s Student Engagement Committee.
Collectively, her work has contributed to improved student engagement, job placement, and enrollment in the accounting area. She finds the greatest meaning in her work through the relationships she builds with students and the opportunity to support them as they grow into confident, capable professionals.