Maryborough’s Paul Hoggard has been named USC’s top graduating Accounting student and has gained one of its highest academic honours – a University Medal.

The aspiring accountant who graduated this month with a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) maintained a near-perfect grade point average of 6.9 (out of a possible 7) during three years of study to earn the University Medal.

It is one of four awards that Paul has recently added to his impressive collection.

The former Aldridge State High School student also gained three prizes totalling $3,580 at USC’s Faculty of Arts, Business and Law Awards and Prize ceremony held recently at the University’s Sunshine Coast campus.

Regional and national businesses, associations and individuals joined with USC in providing 55 awards, prizes, bursaries and sponsorships, totalling almost $64,000, to reward its top performing students.

Paul also received the BDO Prize for the highest-achieving student in Auditing and Professional Practice, the CPA Australia Prize for the highest-achieving third-year graduating accounting student, and the Tax Institute Prize for the highest achiever in Contemporary Accounting Issues.

It was the third year in a row that the 23-year-old has shone at the awards since starting his studies at USC Fraser Coast in 2016.

Last year he received the CPA Prize for Highest Achieving Accounting Student and the Save on Tax Prize.

In 2016, he received the Drew Stephenson Chartered Accountants Prize for highest achieving first-year Fraser Coast Accounting student in 2016.