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Monmouth College accounting students benefit from advice during 'real-world' talk by auditor general

by Barry McNamara

Monmouth, Ill. (03/01/2023) — A guest speaker with a considerable amount of cachet in the accounting world was on Monmouth College's campus earlier this week.

Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino visited three Monmouth accounting classes, and the students appreciated the opportunity to hear about his career and his office's responsibilities.

"It was interesting to learn about the responsibilities and what the Illinois auditor general does on a daily basis," said Mason Martisauskas '24 of Merrillville, Indiana. "He also informed us about potential job and internship opportunities that are offered, which has inspired me to apply."

"Frank shared specific information with students regarding what type of work his office does, what levels of work are available, and what the salary ranges look like for those levels", said accounting professor Molly Mayfield.

To use a financial term, Mayfield said Mautino's visit has paid immediate dividends.

"To see the excitement and engagement coming from the students during and after his visit is truly exciting," she said. "I was pleased that a couple of students have already notified me of their plans to apply to be an auditor in Frank's office, and I'm sure his visit will have a lasting impact on our accounting and business students."

Another student who was inspired by hearing Mautino was Laquita Harris of Minneapolis, who will graduate in May.

"After meeting the auditor general, I realized that I want to do more with my degree," she said. "He made me feel like I could accomplish a lot and made me aware of resources that I didn't know existed. I had planned on going back to Minnesota after graduating, but after this meeting I would love to go to the Illinois auditor general's office. There is so much that I believe I could learn from working there."

"It is really rewarding to be a part of a learning environment that supports integrating real-world experience into the classroom," said Mayfield, who joined Monmouth's faculty last fall. "That is where the impact of their accounting education can really come to life for students."

Mautino became auditor general of the State of Illinois on Jan. 1, 2016. Prior to his appointment, he served 24 years in the Illinois House of Representatives, including 12 years as a co-chairman of the Legislative Audit Commission.

As a constitutional officer, the auditor general audits public funds of the state and reports findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and to the governor. The establishment of the office under the legislature is important, as it ensures that the legislature, which grants funds and sets program goals, will ultimately review program expenditures and results. Thus, agencies are accountable to the people through their elected representatives.

The auditor general's office performs several types of audits to review state agencies, including financial audits and compliance examinations which are mandated by law. The audits disclose the obligation, expenditure, receipt and use of public funds and also provide agencies with specific recommendations to ensure full compliance with state statutes, rules and regulations.

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Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino spoke to three Monmouth College accounting classes earlier this week.

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