AICPA Foundation Grants 25 Minority Doctoral Fellowships
Fellowships provide $12,000 per year for up to five years.
NEW YORK (October 8, 2020) – The American Institute of CPAs Foundation granted fellowships to 25 minority doctoral students as part of its effort to increase diversity among educators in accounting programs.
The funding comes from the Minority Doctoral Fellowship program, which serves to bolster racial and ethnic diversity among accounting educators at colleges and universities. It provides $12,000 to each student, renewable for up to an additional four years, assuming students continue to meet eligibility requirements.
“The AICPA believes that diversifying accounting faculty and putting more CPAs in the class room is an important component to building diversity throughout the accounting profession,” said Steve Matzke, director, faculty & university initiatives at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. “We look forward to having these 25 CPAs and scholars shepherd more minority students through their accounting education and on to becoming CPAs.”
The 2020-21 Minority Doctoral Fellowship recipients, as well as the doctoral programs they are attending, are:
- Christiana Antwi-Obimpeh, University of Texas – San Antonio
- Ryan C. Ballestero, University of Texas-Austin
- Hilda Carrillo, University of South Florida
- Gabe Caceras, Florida International University
- Nikki Chappell, Florida State University
- LaToya Flint, University of Mississippi
- Roberto Gonzales, University of Texas – Arlington
- Paige G. Harrell, Emory University
- Claudia C. Hernandez, Florida International University
- Andria Hill, University of Central Florida
- Brittani Shantel Jackson, Indiana University
- Monica Kabutey, University of North Texas
- Carissa Malone, Virginia Tech University
- Tendai Masaya, Yale University
- Ann Mungai, Florida Atlantic University
- Devon Privette Jefferson, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Iguehi Rajsky, Temple University
- Jeremy Richardson, Texas Tech University
- Vernan O. Rivera, University of Connecticut
- Edgar Rodriguez Vazquez, University of Washington
- Christina M. Ruiz, Arizona State University
- Nuria Seijas, University of Arizona
- Andrea Tillet, Florida State University
- Raul Villamil-Otero, University of South Florida
- Lawrence Williams, Florida Atlantic University
“The AICPA Foundation is thrilled to help these individuals become educators and to give back to the profession by inspiring the next generation of CPAs,” said Ernie Almonte, CPA, CGMA, AICPA Foundation president.
All Minority Doctoral Fellows must be ethnic minorities and U.S. citizens or permanent residents, who have earned a master’s degree or worked at least three years full-time in the accounting profession. The 2021-22 application will be available on March 1st, 2021. A full list of requirements and information about other scholarship awards offered to accounting students are available at ThisWaytoCPA.
The Minority Doctoral Fellowship is one of several AICPA initiatives aimed at cultivating a diverse and inclusive accounting profession. In addition to helping to diversify faculty, we also focus on increasing, developing and supporting ethnically diverse students in the profession through our Accounting Scholars Leadership Workshop (ASLW). The AICPA launched ASLW in 1994 and it offers ethnic minority junior and senior college students three days of leadership, career exploration, and CPA preparation. . Also, the AICPA Scholarship Award for Minority Accounting Students, part of the AICPA Legacy Scholars program, provides funding to outstanding minority students studying accounting.
The Minority Doctoral Fellowships are funded by the AICPA Foundation.
About the American Institute of CPAs
The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is the world’s largest member association representing the CPA profession, with more than 429,000 members in the United States and worldwide, and a history of serving the public interest since 1887. AICPA members represent many areas of practice, including business and industry, public practice, government, education and consulting. The AICPA sets ethical standards for its members and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, nonprofit organizations, federal, state and local governments. It develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination, offers specialized credentials, builds the pipeline of future talent and drives professional competency development to advance the vitality, relevance and quality of the profession.
About the AICPA Foundation
The AICPA Foundation was established in 1922 to advance accounting as a learned profession and promote its future. To encourage a wide range of talented and diverse students to pursue their CPA, the Foundation is committed to three main areas: accounting education and outreach, scholarships and fellowships, and diversity and inclusion. Within these areas of focus, the Foundation funds over $1.3 million in programming each year, provided in part by donations from individuals, state societies, accounting firms and others.
About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association) is the most influential body of professional accountants, combining the strengths of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) to power opportunity, trust and prosperity for people, businesses and economies worldwide. It represents 657,000 members and students across 179 countries and territories in public and management accounting and advocates for the public interest and business sustainability on current and emerging issues. With broad reach, rigor and resources, the Association advances the reputation, employability and quality of CPAs, CGMAs and accounting and finance professionals globally.
