Scott Steffens

Steffens Family Diversity Endowed Scholarship

The Steffens Family Diversity Endowed Scholarship was established to encourage qualified diverse students in the College of Business to study accounting and to consider a career as a certified public accountant. Scott Steffens (BUS ’89) and his family have long been associated with the university where Scott has served in various volunteer leadership roles in the School of Accountancy and MIS, the College of Business and the Athletics Department.

Scott recently retired as a partner for 14 years at Grant Thornton LLP in Chicago and D.C. after spending the first 20 years of his career at Deloitte. While at Deloitte, Scott helped establish the Deloitte Distinguished Professorship and was a leader in establishing the Robert M. Peters Endowed Scholarship in honor of his mentor, Bob Peters, former associate dean in the College of Business and leader of the Strobel Honors Program for many years.

Scott has been a champion for increased and sustained diversity in the accounting profession for more than a decade, having served leadership roles at large accounting firms and the Illinois CPA Society that focused on the attraction, retention and development of underrepresented diverse talent. He was recognized in 2009 by the Illinois CPA Society with their Outstanding Leadership in Advancing Diversity award.

Scott was introduced to the CPA profession through his stepfather and credits his work ethic to his determined parents and grandparents.