PENNSYLVANIA CPA FOUNDATION

CPAS WORK IN A MYRIAD OF BUSINESSES AND POSSESS A BROAD SPECTRUM OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. STUDIES SHOW THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPOSED TO, AND INFLUENCED BY, CPAS ARE MORE LIKELY TO CONSIDER AN ACCOUNTING CAREER. THE PENNSYLVANIA CPA FOUNDATION PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT CAREER OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO PURSUE AN ACCOUNTING DEGREE. IN ADDITION, THE PENNSYLVANIA CPA FOUNDATION PROVIDES FINANCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND CAREER GUIDANCE.A RECORD NUMBER OF STUDENTS HAVE CHOSEN ACCOUNTING AS A MAJOR IN RECENT YEARS, MANY ARE NOT BECOMING CPAS. THIS HAS CREATED A TALENT GAP IN ACCOUNTING FIRMS OF ALL SIZES. LEADERS OF THE PROFESSION CONTINUE TO CITE TALENT ACQUISITION AND RETENTION AS THEIR MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGE. THE PATH TO BECOME A CPA IS NOT AN EASY ONE. BUT WITH THE RIGHT FINANCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND MOTIVATIONAL SUPPORT, THE JOURNEY CAN BE LESS ONEROUS. THE PENNSYLVANIA CPA FOUNDATION WORKS TO DELIVER THAT THROUGH CPA EXAM AND LICENSING INFORMATION, UPDATES TO THE CPA EXAM, CPA EXAM SCHOLARSHIP AND AWARENESS PROGRAMING.WHILE MANY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CPA FOUNDATION'S PROGRAMS REACH AND SUPPORT DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS AMONG PROSPECTIVE CPAS, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT ASPIRING CPAS FROM CHALLENGING BACKGROUNDS TEND TO HAVE ADDITIONAL SOCIOECONOMIC CHALLENGES, AND THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS IN PASSING THE CPA EXAM AND BECOMING LICENSED IS MUCH LOWER. THAT IS WHY THE PENNSYLVANIA CPA FOUNDATION DEVELOPED ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS TARGETING THESE GROUPS, AND THE EMPLOYERS WHO WILL HIRE THEM. SURVEYS SHOW THAT FIRMS AND OTHER EMPLOYERS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE TO FIND TALENT.TO INSPIRE STUDENTS TO CONSIDER AN ACCOUNTING CAREER, THE FOUNDATION CONNECTED WITH OVER 11,000 HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS THROUGH ITS ACCOUNTING CAREER DISCOVERY, ACCOUNTING OPPORTUNITIES EXPERIENCE, AND ACCOUNTING CAREER DAYS. DURING THESE EVENTS, STUDENTS LEARNED MORE ABOUT CAREERS IN ACCOUNTING THROUGH PRESENTATIONS BY CPAS WHO WORK IN PUBLIC ACCOUNTING, CORPORATE FINANCE, GOVERNMENT, AND EDUCATION, AND STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY PURSUING AN ACCOUNTING DEGREE WITH THE INTENT ON BECOMING A CPA. PER OUR CAREER DAYS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORTED A 21% INCREASE IN INTEREST IN MAJORING IN ACCOUNTING COMPARED WITH BEFORE THE EVENT. MORE THAN 88% OF STUDENT ATTENDEES COMPLETED THE PROGRAM WITH A POSITIVE VIEW OF ACCOUNTING. TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE PURSUING AN ACCOUNTING CAREER, THE FOUNDATION AWARDED $125,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO 122 HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS. TO FURTHER SUPPORT ASPIRING CPAS, AN ADDITIONAL $13,000 WAS AWARDED TO 13 CPA EXAM CANDIDATES TO HELP COVER THE COST OF THE EXAM FEES AND REVIEW COURSE FEES. THE FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO PROVIDE STUDENT SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THROUGH THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM ON PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES.