The American Institute of CPAs has announced that five firms have been invited to participate in the new Private Companies Practice Section George Willie Ethnically Diverse Student Scholarship and Internship program.
Each selected firm will partner with the AICPA’s PCPS to co-sponsor one student for an internship during the 2020 tax season (January through April). The AICPA will then award up to $20,000 per student to help with tuition costs during their final academic year.
“Internships are a great opportunity for students looking to gain practical work experience and familiarize themselves with the day-to-day operations of a public accounting firm,” stated Carl Peterson, AICPA vice president of small firm interests. “By co-sponsoring this program, firms have an opportunity to bring a talented, motivated student on board during their busiest time of the year. And by participating in the program, firms are demonstrating their commitment to diversity to their employees as well as current and prospective clients.”
This program honors George Willie, former chair of the AICPA’s PCPS Executive Committee and the AICPA Minority Initiatives Committee, who was a regular advocate for accounting careers and urged students to pursue CPA licensure.
This year's participating firms, in alphabetical order, are:
- Anglin Reichmann Armstrong (Huntsville, Alabama)
- Aprio (Atlanta, Georgia)
- Cover & Rossiter (Wilmington, Delaware)
- Glenn Burdette (San Luis Obispo, California)
- Kreischer Miller (Horsham, Pennsylvania)
The program is open to Black or African American; Hispanic or Latino; Native American or Alaska Native; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; multiethnic; or Asian American students. Qualified students must be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in accounting or a related major, with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Students must also plan to sit for the CPA exam.
A scholarship task force will review qualified applications and select up to five recipients based on factors such as academic achievement, proven leadership and career interests in accounting.
The deadline to apply for the program is May 31, 2019. For more information, head to the AICPA's
