Bentley University Student Wins Research Award

Undergrad recognized for report on evolution of internal auditing

ANAHEIM, Calif. (July 8, 2019) — Jiamei Elizabeth Feng, an undergraduate honors student at Bentley University, in Waltham, Mass., is the 2019 recipient of the Esther R. Sawyer Research Award, the Internal Audit Foundation announced today during The Institute of Internal Auditors’ International Conference at the Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California.

The award is based on submission of an original manuscript related to modern internal auditing and is granted to an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an Internal Auditing Education Partnership (IAEP) university. The IIA currently endorses 49 universities in 12 countries and territories through the IAEP program.

Feng’s submission, “Internal Auditing’s Identity Issue: Management-orientated or Accounting Related,” explores how the internal audit function can be “a channel that management can rely upon for assurance and consulting services.” Internal audit, she wrote, “is a practice that helps an organization look both backward and forward in its development to aid it in the present and the future.”

The Esther R. Sawyer Research Award was established by the Larry Sawyer family as a tribute to the memory of his late wife, Esther, and her contributions in support of the internal audit profession. In addition to an award of $5,000 to Feng, the Internal Audit Foundation also made a contribution to Bentley University. 

The Internal Audit Foundation academic fund has awarded more than $1.6 million in grants to IAEP universities worldwide.

Contact:
John Babinchak
407-937-1240/407-425-5560
John.Babinchak@TheIIA.org

About the Internal Audit Foundation
The Internal Audit Foundation (Foundation) is the donor-supported arm of The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). The nonprofit Foundation conducts groundbreaking research and scholarly publishing, offers essential career development and thought leadership products through The IIA Bookstore, and works with colleges and universities through the Internal Auditing Education Partnership (IAEP) program to enlighten the next generation of internal auditors. For more information, visit www.theiia.org or www.theiia.org/foundation.

About The Institute of Internal Auditors
The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) is the internal audit profession’s most widely recognized advocate, educator, and provider of standards, guidance, and certifications. Established in 1941, The IIA today serves more than 200,000 members from more than 170 countries and territories. The IIA’s global headquarters are in Lake Mary, Fla. For more information, visit www.theiia.org.