Olivia Huseman, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at the Argyros School of Business and Economics. After graduating in May 2017 from the University of Iowa with her doctorate in Accounting, Olivia accepted a tenure-track position at Chapman as an Assistant Professor. Olivia conducts empirical research on voluntary disclosure behavior within capital markets and is working on various research projects examining management and analyst forecasting behavior. Olivia also teaches Managerial Accounting in the MBA and undergraduate programs.

Olivia earned her undergraduate degree in Accounting from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, and continued her academic studies by earning her Master’s in Accountancy, also at Marquette. As a student, Olivia had a standout academic and athletic career. Academically, Olivia was the 2011 senior recipient of Marquette’s College of Business Golden Key award. As an athlete, Olivia was a four-year letter winner and named a captain of the cross country and track teams at Marquette, qualified for the NCAA Division 1 West Preliminary Championships in the 1500-meter run and was named a CoSIDA 1st-team Academic All-American. Olivia also gained work experience as an audit and tax summer intern at Williams & Co., a small accounting firm in Iowa, and the subsequent summer as an audit intern at KPMG in Minneapolis, MN.

While in graduate school at the University of Iowa, Olivia was one of 20 university-wide recipients of the Council of Teaching’s Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award and was selected by the accounting faculty for the Mary L. Collins Doctoral Research Fellowship. Olivia and her husband, Taylor, both native Iowans and avid cyclists and runners, have quickly and happily adjusted to the Southern California winters and sunshine.

Q&A with Olivia

What are the three tips/advice you would give to a new professor coming to Chapman?

1) The water in the faculty lounge is the best – so crisp and cold!

2) If you need help to get something done right, talk to Rita Desjardins, Linda Corcoran, Jennifer Brady or Gina Madson

3) When you’re really hungry, head for Smoqued BBQ down the street and order the 420 Mac. You won’t leave hungry!”

How would you define good teaching?

If I receive no panicked student emails the day before or after an exam, things are on the right track.

Describe your high school self in 3 words? Describe your college self in 3 words? How would you describe yourself now in 3 words?

High School: Tomboy, Competitive, Tall

College: Driven, Organized, Tall

Now: Work-in-Progress, Still Tall

What was your favorite and least favorite subject in school?

Favorite: Meteorology

Least: Art

If you could have a drink with someone from history who would it be?

I’d sit down and have a glass of wine with Jesus

What character would you like to be in a musical?

Maria from the Sound of Music

If you were going to perform on American Idol, what song would you sing?

Side Pony by Lake Street Dive

If you could be any superhero or villain for the day, who would it be?

Mrs. Incredible

What was your favorite TV show growing up?

Arthur – “Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card!”

What is your favorite movie?

The Sound of Music. I can quote every line.

What is your favorite Disney Movie? What is your favorite song from a Disney Movie?

It’s not Disney, but I’d have to go with “Space Jam” and its opening song “I Believe I Can Fly” – motivating countless hours of driveway hoops since elementary school.