One of the most prestigious trade organizations for Certified Public Accountants is opening its doors to those looking for a scholarship to return to school. The Illinois CPA Society, which has been active for over a century, has more than 24,000 members statewide.
The recent announcement is significant for entrepreneurs, small business owners and others pursuing enrollment for the 2013-2014 school year.
Scholarship Availability
The Illinois CPA Society offers a variety of scholarships for accounting students, including the Herman J. Neal scholarship for African-American students and the Women’s Executive Committee Advancing Women in Accounting scholarship for top female students in their senior year or in graduate studies. Both of these programs offer $4,000 to awarded students. Some smaller scholarships are also available, including a $500 textbook scholarship. It’s important that students know that all of the scholarship options are only available to students in certain years of undergraduate or graduate study.
Coaching and Advice for Accounting Students
In addition to providing scholarships, the Illinois CPA Society also maintains many more resources for students and emerging professionals on its website. These resources include researched advice for students to increase their chances of success in the field.
In a story in the Illinois CPA Society’s Insight magazine last winter, writer Derrick Lilly passed on some wisdom from multiple senior professionals about the challenges these degree seekers and careerists face, including intense competition.
“Check your ego at the door,” writes Lilly, “take advantage of every opportunity to make contacts and don’t get discouraged along the way.” Similar articles cover many of the issues involved in practicing successful networking and promoting a personal or business brand to the greater accounting community. Other resources on the website cover important industry issues such as ethics management.
The combination of resources provided by the Illinois CPA Society can help business career professionals polish their skill sets while seeking financial support. This association and similar programs organized by accounting groups provide an alternative to searching for scholarships through a particular school. At the same time, prospective students can learn more about what they might face later in their careers, and even about trade group membership.
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