The American Institute of CPAs granted $400,000 in accounting doctoral scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year to 25 minority doctoral students.
The grants are part of the AICPA Fellowship for Minority Doctoral Students initiative, which tries to improve racial and ethnic diversity and inclusivity among accounting educators in colleges and universities.
The move comes as the AICPA, state CPA societies and accounting firms try to widen the pipeline of young people entering the accounting profession, especially from diverse backgrounds.
"Diversity in the accounting profession is not just about representing different faces and backgrounds; it's about embracing a multitude of perspectives and experiences," said Mike Decker, vice president of the CPA examination and pipeline at AICPA & CIMA, in a statement Thursday. "In a profession that deals with complex financial matters and decision-making, diversity acts as a catalyst for innovation and better decision-making. It ensures that the numbers tell a more inclusive and accurate story, strengthening the financial foundation of organizations and society as a whole."
The fellowship program gives each student $12,000, and that amount is renewable for up to another four years, depending on whether the student can maintain their eligibility.
The 2023–24 Minority Doctoral Fellowship recipients and the universities they're attending include:
- Allison A. Carter, Texas Tech University;
- Angelica G. Castro Cardenas, University of Texas at El Paso;
- Asabé A. Danpollo, Cornell University;
- Christiana Antwi-Obimpeh, University of Texas at San Antonio;
- David Stroud, Texas A&M University;
- Devon P. Jefferson, Virginia Commonwealth University;
- DMyrian Frederick, Virginia Tech;
- Isaac L. Yamoah, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
- Isabel Maria Ford, University of Florida;
- Jae Yeon Pyo, Carnegie Mellon University;
- Jeremy Richardson, Texas Tech University;
- Jessica Thornton, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
- Jewel O. Evans, University of Chicago;
- Jose N. Arguello , University of Tennessee, Knoxville;
- Jovan Johnson, University of Georgia;
- Lynn Davis, University of Georgia;
- Mary A. Adenle, University of Texas at Austin;
- Mary Ahonsi, Texas Tech University;
- Moniquca Chappell, Florida State University;
- Paige Harrell, Emory University;
- Roberto Gonzales, University of Texas at Arlington;
- Timothy E. Messenger, University of Oregon;
- Triza Nganga, University of Texas at Arlington;
- Vanessa Vandamas, Florida International University; and
- Vernan O. Rivera, University of Connecticut.
The Foundation also awarded $120,000 to 10 CPAs pursuing their accounting Ph.D. through the William (Bill) Ezzell Scholarship program and the Accounting Doctoral Scholars program:
- Brian Forsberg, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
- Carolyn Previti, Drexel University;
- Erik Elfrink, University of Georgia;
- Joshua Shoulders, University of South Carolina;
- Lin Ma, University of California, Irvine;
- Nathan Herrmann, The University of Texas at Austin;
- Paul Richardson, Pennsylvania State University; and
- Sabrina Summers, Virginia Tech.
The 2023 Accounting Doctoral Scholars program recipients and the universities they're attending are:
- Bailey Thompson, University of Kansas; and
- Jovan Johnson, University of Georgia.
