Biography
Thomas Godwin is a professor of practice in accounting at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. He joined Cornell from Purdue University, where he was an assistant professor of accounting. Godwin earned his Ph.D. in accounting from Purdue and holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in accounting from Clemson University. He is a licensed CPA in New York and South Carolina and holds the CGMA designation through the AICPA.
Before entering academia, Godwin worked extensively in consulting and compliance for a national public accounting firm, primarily serving private equity clients. He continues this work as a consultant and as an editor for Becker CPA Review. His writing has been published in leading academic and practitioner publications, including The Accounting Review, Tax Notes, Journal of Accountancy, The Tax Adviser, eJournal of Taxation, Journal of Taxation, and Fraud Magazine.
At Cornell, Godwin teaches financial accounting, tax, audit, and fraud courses for both undergraduate and graduate students. He also teaches executive education for some of the world’s largest hedge funds. He is a co-director of Cornell LITLAP, focusing on free tax compliance services for low-income taxpayers in Tompkins County, N.Y. Godwin has received numerous college, university, and national awards for his research, teaching, and community engagement, including the inaugural SC Johnson Dean’s Distinguished Award for Societal Impact in Teaching.
Education
PhD Purdue University, West Lafayette, 2019 MPA Clemson University, 2010 BS Clemson University, 2009
Research
- Godwin, R.; Goodman, Theodore; Small, R. "Analyst Rational Inattention: Evidence from CEO Turnover Events"The Accounting Review. 101.3 (2026): 257–280
Awards
- Dean’s Distinguished Award for Societal Impact in Teaching (2024 - 2026) Cornell SC Johnson College of Business