The Georgia Society of CPAs hosted its fourth annual Rising Professionals Program in Atlanta on Oct. 26, 2018. The program looks to educate high school students about the benefits of a career in the accounting profession and the day-to-day lives of CPAs.
More than 30 high school juniors and seniors from 10 area high schools attended the event. Participants were chosen by their teachers and counselors, who sent applications to a volunteer panel who selected the attendees.
Students heard from a variety of industry professionals, including Christopher Mooney and Sarah Smith of local firm Smith & Howard, past chair of the GSCPA Board of Directors and current chair of the GSCPA Diversity and Inclusion Task Force Barbara Evans, and Evelyn Rosier, project manager at T.O.P. Solutions Group.
“The life of a CPA can be as dynamic as you desire. We are an integral part of the business community," Rosier told attendees, per a statement. "We are no longer the ‘bean counters'; we grow the beans.”
Additional activities included a networking session with Jimmy Lee and Adrian Rivers of Bennett Thrasher; a "Day in the Life" of a CPA session with Katie Russell and Eric Neas of Aprio; and an accounting leadership panel who offered career stories and words of advice for students.
Prior to the event, each student application was scored based on factors such as qualifying questions and essays. Throughout this year's program, students were continually scored by Nikelle Klareich of Smith & Howard, and Khari Rosier-Robinson of Windham Brannon based on their participation. Scores were tallied and eight students were awarded scholarships based on their performance at the end of the program.
Scholarship contributors included:
- GSCPA ($1,000 scholarship to a senior and a $500 scholarship to a junior);
- Smith & Howard ($1,000 scholarship to a senior and one $500 scholarship to a junior);
- Aprio (one $1,000 scholarship);
- Bennett Thasher ($1,000 to a senior);
- GSCPA Diversity and Inclusion Task Force ($500 scholarship to a junior or senior);
- The Educational Foundation of the GSCPA ($500 scholarship to a senior).
For more on the GSCPA, head to the Society's
