Alumna and Husband Establish Accounting Excellence Fund

Nancy Smith Salisbury ’93 sees how her support makes an impact on campus firsthand.

Salisbury and her husband established the Nancy ’93 and Kurt Salisbury Scholarship, awarded to a highly involved student in the School of Business.

The first scholarship recipient, Lindsey Forte ’12, spent a semester abroad because of the scholarship, Salisbury said. Dianora De Marco ’14 M’15, who received the scholarship for two consecutive years, recently obtained a highly competitive post-graduate fellowship at the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB.

“I reached out to some friends at the FASB and talked with Dianora a couple times to help her prepare for the interview,” Salisbury said. “Dianora got the position on her own merits. That was a great experience to work with and help her.”

With guidance from Tom Sullivan ’89, Salisbury started her career at Ernst & Young after graduation following an on-campus interview at the Big Four accounting and professional services firm. She considers his advice a significant factor in her success.

“Obviously, working hard in the classroom and getting good grades are important,” Salisbury said, “but that only goes so far. Build your network. Reach out to alumni who you know are out there and willing to help.”

To complement their scholarship, Nancy and Kurt recently established the Salisbury Accounting Excellence Fund with a gift to Oswego, matched equally by Ernst & Young, where Nancy is a partner. The endowed fund will support the accounting program in Oswego’s renowned School of Business.

“Kurt and I first established the scholarship fund because it’s important to us to help individual students,” Nancy said. “In talking to faculty and staff around campus, we’ve gained an appreciation for the support needed by departments and professors as well.”

Salisbury has been involved at Oswego since graduating, serving as vice president of the Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors, mentoring students through the ASK program and consistently providing financial support for today’s students. She has supported The Fund for Oswego by serving as a challenger in the 2014 Lakers Athletics Challenge and in March Matchness 2013, both highly successful fundraising initiatives.

“Oswego definitely prepared me for my career at Ernst & Young, and I want students to have the same success I have had,” she said.

—Tyler Edic ’13