CPA
September/October 2025
Newsletter from the Iowa Society of CPAs, your primary source for profession-related information
Accounting Opportunities Experience returns in November
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he Iowa Society of CPAs is once again partnering with AICPA and CPA societies nationwide to raise awareness of the accounting profession among high school students. Launched three years ago as Accounting Opportunities Week and now expanded into a month-long initiative, Accounting Opportunities Experience (AOE) continues this November with the goal of helping Iowa students discover the wide variety of career paths in accounting and the CPA profession. In 2024, the program reached more than 2,100 students statewide, and we’re aiming even higher in 2025. ISCPA has again requested a proclamation from the governor’s office declaring November as Accounting Opportunities Month in Iowa. The need for this outreach is clear. According to AICPA research, U.S. undergraduate accounting enrollment rose by 12% in Fall 2024, reaching 267,278 students, the highest since 2020. At the same time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 124,200 annual openings for accountants and auditors through 2034, many due to retirements. Ensuring a strong CPA pipeline remains one of the profession’s top priorities. This November, ISCPA members will visit high school classrooms across Iowa with interactive presentations. Volunteers will share their career journeys, describe a typical day, and show how accounting skills solve real-world problems. Last year’s presenters found the experience deeply rewarding. As past volunteer Ben Currie, CFO at TruBank, noted, “Accounting Opportunities Experience is one of the best ways to educate and inspire the next generation of CPAs. Some high school students may not fully understand the future possibilities Ben Currie
our profession offers until someone takes the time to share their journey and their “why” of becoming a CPA. AOE also represents a great way to stay connected within our community and be a resource.” To make everything as simple as possible, ISCPA provides a PowerPoint presentation, talking points and offers training ahead of the classroom interactions. We will also handle the legwork to match volunteer presenters with teachers requesting speakers from their area. We will work with your schedule to make these presentations possible! Today’s students are looking for careers that use technology, offer entrepreneurial opportunities, and align with their values. Accounting delivers on all counts. That’s why we need members to get involved. Sign up to volunteer at www.iacpa.org/ aoe. Our outreach efforts in school classrooms are not limited to this November’s campaign! ISCPA’s Career Awareness Committee makes it easy to connect with local schools throughout the school year, and we would love to have YOU! If presentations aren’t your thing, we have many other volunteer opportunities available to connect with students. Please contact ISCPA Member Engagement Coordinator Madeline Ward at mward@iacpa.org to learn more and inspire the next generation of accountants. “Accounting Opportunities Experience is a great way to share what you love about the accounting profession, the work we do as CPAs, and recruit the next generation of accountants. High school students are often guided toward programs and careers that align with their current Libby Van De Pol
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