UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 31, Page 3
May 13, 1993
A very good friend; William Markell, first chair of accounting, to retire

     This spring the University's Department of Accounting is losing a very
good friend as William Markell, the department's first and only
chairperson, prepares to retire and assume the title, professor emeritus.
      Markell has been with the a member of the Delaware faculty for 35
years. Some 300 of his closest friends, colleagues, students and alumni
recently marked Markell's decision to retire with a special reception in
his honor held at Clayton Hall.
     At the reception, Markell was presented with a memory book of letters
and listened to the announcement of the William Markell Scholarship Fund,
formed in tribute to his leadership in accounting education. (See story
below.)
     Markell recently reflected on his years at the University:
     "When I first came to the University the business courses were offered
in the College of Arts and Science. Eventually, we became our own college,
and in 1976, the Department of Accounting was created."
     Markell, who had served for five years as the chairperson of the
Department of Business Administration became the new accounting
department's first chairperson.
     When he arrived a the University, Markell was a recent Ed.D. graduate
of Columbia University. A native of Brooklyn, he chose to teach at Delaware
so he and his wife could maintain their close ties to family in New York.
     His field of research is accounting education in developing countries.
     Markell said there is "always a market for accounting majors," but
that today's graduates must place their emphasis on more than finely honed
accounting skills.
     "These days," he said, "communication-both oral and written-and
interpersonal skills are more important than ever. You have to be able to
communicate, to get along with others and have intellectual curiosity. Most
people can learn the accounting rules; it's the ability to get along that
really counts."
     Markell has seen many changes to the field and the accounting
curriculum over the years. He has, for instance, seen more and more women
entering the field and assuming leadership positions after graduation.
     "When I first came to Delaware, there were almost no women in the
accounting classes; at the most maybe one or two. These days women make up
one half of the accounting majors and our women alumni are employed in a
variety of organizations."
     Markell said he has enjoyed helping the accounting department grow
over the years and watching the development of its faculty.
     Markell is also largely responsible for the formation of an accounting
alumni group. He has raised nearly $600,000 for the organization almost
single-handedly in the past 10 years. The funds are used with other
University money to purchase computer equipment and to provide research
grants to the faculty for summer research. KPMG Peat Marwick and University
alumni employed there, for instance, have committed to contributing a
minimum of $100,000 over a five-year period, which started in l990.
Markell's letters to alumni are personalized, as are his thank you notes.
     Among his many career highlights are serving as a visiting professor
at the American College in Paris in l981, a visiting professor at the
University of Manchester (England) and the University of Canterbury (New
Zealand) in 1977-78 and a Fulbright lecturer and visiting professor in the
Department of Accounting and Management Studies at the University of
Botswana in South Africa from 1984-85.
     In 1991, Markell was named the first Arthur Andersen Alumni Professor
of Accounting at the University, the first endowed professorship in the
accounting department.
     Still, it is working with students that has always brought Markell the
most joy.
     "I have always tried to have an open door," he said. "And you know,
you speak with them, you suggest things and then another student comes in,
and you never know if that half hour you spent with someone had any impact
on their life. But often to the students those discussions have been very
important. I am always surprised to learn the manner in which those
conversations have helped...maybe helped decide a career choice.
     "But that's why we're here. To help some people, to solve some
problems. Dealing with students has always been my major care."
     While the new chairperson of accounting is scheduled to take over on
July 1, Markell will stay on board through Aug. 31 to ensure a smooth
transition.
     After that, he plans to stay busy in the numerous professional
organizations he supports, do some consulting work for schools hoping to
become accredited, perhaps teach a course, stay active with the alumni
organization and serve as a resource on new accounting standards for the
University.
     "I don't see myself down at the beach," he said, "Well, at least not
for more than three days at a time."
                                        -Beth Thomas