The worldwide public accounting firm of Ernst & Young and its staff members have contributed more than $35,550 to UB over the past year.

Included in the total amount is a gift of $17,775 from the Ernst & Young Matching Gifts Program to the School of Management for use by the school’s Department of Accounting and Law.

Louis A. DiBerardino Jr., partner in the firm’s Boston office and a 1980 graduate of the school’s accounting program, presented the gift on May 12.

The Ernst & Young Matching Gifts Program is just one element of the firm’s broad support for higher education. It also provides grants to doctoral candidates concentrating in accounting, sponsors professorships and faculty fellowships, and employs accounting student interns.

“These generous contributions from Ernst & Young and our alumni will help fund programs that greatly enhance the value of the accounting major,” says Susan Hamlen, chair of the Department of Accounting and Law. “Their support will allow us to maintain our excellent reputation for producing graduates who go on to very successful careers.”

The accounting program in the School of Management has been accredited since 1985 by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The program is one of only 180 programs in the world to achieve this level of recognition.