IN TOUCH | PRESIDENT & CEO’s MESSAGE “You can help make a real difference in our common goal of promoting the profession and helping populate the CPA pipeline.”
Many Ways to Give Back to Your Profession By Tammy J. Hofstede
W
ith year-end approaching and a new year waiting in the wings, I wanted to remind you of the opportunities members have that can impact students and educators in Wisconsin and help populate the CPA pipeline in the process.
facing the CPA profession. More than 3,000 copies are circulated on college campuses and to high school educators each fall and spring. If you would like to write an article for CPA2b, contact the editor at mtzinzow@icloud.com. Members can gain CPE credit for the time they spend writing articles.
The WICPA Educational Foundation plays a pivotal role in supporting programs to improve awareness and perceptions by educating Wisconsin students and educators about the exciting opportunities available in the accounting profession. Many members are unaware of the number and variety of activities the Educational Foundation supports, so I am describing some of them here. More activities are described at www.wicpa.org/give/ foundation, and you can contact me directly (tammy@wicpa.org) for additional information.
DECA & FBLA: DECA and FBLA are professional business organizations that prepare high school students for careers in business. The Educational Foundation sponsors an informational booth for students at the annual state competitions in the spring, and members also participate in judging the competitions.
Accounting Career Awareness Grants: Each year, more than $50,000 in Accounting Career Awareness Grants are awarded by the Educational Foundation to Wisconsin teachers who attend the Educator Accounting Symposium and create programs, projects and curriculum to promote accounting as a career. Accounting Program for Building the Profession (APBP): The Educational Foundation supports the APBP training for Wisconsin teachers to encourage and assist with providing a high-quality accounting curriculum for students. College Scholarships: Each year, the Educational Foundation awards college scholarships to qualified accounting students who are working toward the 150-hour requirement needed to receive their CPA license. College Speaking Engagements: WICPA members share their experience with college students about accounting career opportunities and their own career paths at college career fairs, CPA panel discussions, accounting club and class presentations and other events at two- and four-year colleges throughout the state. CPA2b Student Magazine: The biannual CPA2b provides information on accounting careers, the CPA Exam and issues
4
On Balance
November | December 2021
Educator Accounting Symposium: Firsthand information from accounting professionals is provided to educators at the annual Educator Accounting Symposium, where they receive curriculum ideas, tools to better serve their students and the opportunity to apply for an Accounting Careers Awareness Grant. High School Speaking Engagements: Through the High School Speaking Program, WICPA members promote the accounting profession by making presentations about their careers and various opportunities in the accounting profession. The WICPA can help you find a speaking opportunity in your locale. Junior Achievement BizTown & Finance Park: BizTown, held at Junior Achievement’s Kohl’s Education Center in Milwaukee, takes elementary school students into the world of business. During their day at Junior Achievement’s BizTown, students learn what it takes to create and run a business, as well as how to manage money. Junior Achievement’s Finance Park combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a fully interactive, simulated town where students in grades 8–12 are introduced to personal finance and career exploration. Junior Achievement Career Days: Students from grades 7–12 are given the opportunity to interact with professionals from a variety of careers, including accounting, at their schools. Students learn about career paths, personal stories, educational decisions and how to apply skills learned in in the classroom to the world of work.
wicpa.org
