Medal of Inspiration celebrates student’s success in face of adversity

Andrey A. Stoyan, a 2013 San Diego State University accounting graduate, received the Medal of Inspiration Award from Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), an honors organization for financial information and accounting students and professionals.

The award, sponsored by the AICPA, is given to a student who has experienced extreme hardships and who has demonstrated an unusually high level of success despite that adversity. The award includes a $5,000 cash stipend.

Stoyan emigrated from Russia in 2008 to escape social intolerance and oppressive discrimination. At the time, he knew a limited amount of English and only had $1,000 to his name.

Stoyan was granted asylum in the United States, but he still faced many obstacles trying to obtain an education without a high school diploma or GED, and he was unable to transfer his Russian transcripts to SDSU.

However, after two years at a community college, he was accepted into SDSU, where he was elected vice president of professional development in the university’s BAP chapter. He has also interned for KPMG and performed volunteer work on campus and in the community, in addition to working 20–30 hours per week.

Stoyan is expected to become a full-time audit accountant with BDO and apply for U.S. citizenship this fall.