USC accounting school receives $15 million donation

Business consultant James Parks has donated $15 million to the University of Southern California’s Leventhal School of Accounting, the school announced earlier this month.

USC’s Master of Business Taxation degree program will also be renamed the "Jennifer and James R. Parks Master of Business Taxation Program." The gift will support a number of scholarships in perpetuity as well as other academic priorities, including renovation of the accounting building.

“This is a true milestone for the USC Leventhal School of Accounting,” stated William Holder, USC Leventhal dean. “This extraordinary gift is second in size only to the original Elaine and Kenneth Leventhal naming gift made in 1996, and reflects the commitment of Jim Parks and his late wife, Jennifer, to making a real difference in the future of USC Leventhal.”

Parks is a certified public accountant and executive director for the Los Angeles office of CBIZ MHM and a shareholder of Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. He has specialized in tax consulting, financial analysis and litigation consulting for more than 40 years.

“The education and preparation I received over my years at USC Leventhal was the foundation for much of my future success,” Parks said in a statement. “My late wife, Jennifer, and I felt strongly that it was our duty to give back one day. I am pleased to help ensure the same foundation for future professional and industry leaders.”

Parks’ gift supports the Campaign for the University of Southern California, a multiyear effort that seeks to raise $6 billion or more in private philanthropy to advance USC’s academic priorities. Four years after its launch, the campaign has raised more than $4.5 billion, according to the school’s website.

For more on the Leventhal School of Accounting, head to USC's site here.

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