2026 Annual Conference

The 2026 Annual Conference and Business Meeting will be held on February 20 and 21.

The conference will be held at the College of Charleston - Beatty Center.

ADDRESS:5 Liberty Street, Charleston, SC 29401

(Please scroll down for conference links)

Registration Information

Early Bird Registration by January 15, 2026 is $75

Regular registration from January 16 - February 6 is $95

Late registration after February 6 is $130

Registration fee includes: One year SCAAE membership and approximately 7-8 hours of Continuing Professional Education.

Annual Conference Registration Information

To submit a proposal or presentation for the annual conference click the link below to fill out a short form. The deadline to submit a proposal is November 17.

Deadline Extended - November 30

Conference Hotel is

Hampton Inn and Suites Charleston West Ashley

678 Citadel Haven Drive Charleston, SC 29414

843-573-1200

Rate: $144 + taxes

Deadline February 2

(The reservation link can be found in Step 3: Hotel Reservation)

Cynthia E. Bolt

Keynote Speaker

Parking Information

George Parking Garage

34 Saint Phillip Street, Charleston, SC

Rates:

20 minutes - $1;

Maximum Daily rate - $24

Cynthia E. Bolt (Cindy) is a Professor of Accounting at The Citadel with a 30-plus-year career in higher education. Her classroom experience began in Charleston shortly after completing her undergraduate degree, when she reached out to TTC to offer substitute teaching during the slow season. Instead, she was handed a textbook and told, “Good luck.”

During her MTax program, one of Cindy’s most influential experiences was a doctoral-level course, Principles of College Teaching, in the School of Education. That introduction to academic research sparked a lasting interest in student learning and evidence-based instructional strategies. After gaining experience at both Deloitte and EY, Cindy transitioned to a full-time academic position at The Citadel.

Cindy’s scholarly work focuses on accounting education, legal tax research, ethics and academic research relevant to professional practice. For 13 years, she authored the Highlights of Accounting Research in the Journal of Accountancy, collaborating with experts across the US to translate academic research into guidance for practitioners.

Her work with the American Accounting Association’s task force on the Impact of Research on Practice resulted in a publication that received the Accounting Horizons Best Paper Award. Cindy has also received two best paper awards from the AAA’s Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Section, as well as an article of the year award from The Tax Adviser.

In the area of service, Cindy served for 13 years on the AAA’s Conference on Teaching and Learning in Accounting committee, including 2 years as chair. This experience significantly influenced her teaching and research. Most recently, Cindy served as Chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance.

The most meaningful part of Cindy’s career remains in the classroom. She has been honored five times by her students as Professor of the Year, both in-person and online. In 2025, she received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Baker School of Business.

Cindy has served as a keynote speaker for the Louisiana and the Arkansas Accounting Educator Associations and looks forward to sharing her experiences with SCAAE.