Award Sponsored by the AICPA

　　Michael Plengrat Receives Beta Alpha Psi Medal of Inspiration Award

Published August 06, 2010

　　San Jose- (Aug. 6, 2010) — Michael Plengrat, a spring 2010 graduate of the University of Washington, has been awarded Beta Alpha Psi’s Medal of Inspiration Award. The award, sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, includes a $5,000 cash stipend, which Plengrat plans to use to help continue his education with a master’s in taxation accounting.

　　“The AICPA is pleased to sponsor the Beta Alpha Psi Medal of Inspiration Award and to honor this year’s winner, Michael Plengrat,” said Denny Reigle, AICPA’s director of academic and career awareness. “His story is one of courage, perseverance, overcoming constant adversity and, indeed, inspiration.”

　　Denny Reigle and Teresa Conover, Ph.D., president-elect of Beta Alpha Psi, presented the award today at Beta Alpha Psi’s 2010 annual meeting in San Jose.

　　“Michael Plengrat exemplifies that special student who has experienced hardships many of us could never even fathom,” said Teresa Conover. “Michael’s perseverance under extreme circumstances, his dedication to education, and his personal dignity are an inspiration to us all.”

　　The award is bestowed upon a student who has experienced extreme hardships in his or her life and who has demonstrated an unusually high level of success despite that adversity. Plengrat’s story is one of overcoming persistent obstacles. His life started in an overcrowded and undermanned orphanage in Thailand. At the age of seven he was adopted by an American family living in Hawaii, but suffered harsh physical and emotional abuse from his adoptive family and was eventually abandoned. As a result, he was placed in various foster homes and youth shelters and was homeless as a young adult. Throughout these years of difficult circumstances Plengrat remained focused on getting an education.

　　As a student at the University of Washington, he maintained strong grades and was active in numerous extracurricular activities. For example, over the past year and a half, Plengrat competed in five case competitions in the Foster Business School and earned second place honors in one competition. This spring, he co-chaired the Beta Alpha Psi Best Practices in Ethics team that won first place honors for the Delta Chapter at the Beta Alpha Psi Northwest Regional Conference. Plengrat has volunteered at the Seattle University District Food Bank, served in the Business School's Undergraduate Business Council Peer Mentorship Program, and served as a student note taker for a disabled student through the University of Washington Disability Services Office. Plengrat is currently an intern with Ernst & Young LLP, Seattle.

　　About Beta Alpha Psi

　　Beta Alpha Psi is an honorary organization for financial information students and professionals. Its primary objective is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field.