[1] After graduation Zimmerman spend his academic career at the University of Illinois, where he was eventually appointed Professor of accounting.
In 1963 he was founding director of the International Center for Accounting Education and Research.
From 1967 to 1985 he also served as dean of the College of Commerce and Business Administration.
In the year 1979-80 he was President of the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.
Recently the UIUC College of Business has renamed the Center for International Education and Research in Accounting (CIERA) to the Vernon K. Zimmerman Center.