The events in Minneapolis related to the death of George Floyd have raised the awareness of the citizens of the world to the frustrations in the Black community related to systemic and structural racism. 

It is also evident that Black and African American people are underrepresented in the accounting pipeline. According to the 2019 Trends in the Supply of Accounting Graduates and the Demand for Public Accounting Recruits, Black and African American students make up 10% and 6% of undergraduate and graduate accounting enrollments, respectively, and 4% of new graduate hires. 

We would like to offer assistance to Black and African American accounting students in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota who have been greatly impacted by periods of hardship as a way to help ease the financial burden associated with higher-education. 

The AICPA is providing four Black and/or African American accounting students (attending college/university in Minneapolis or St. Paul) each with $5,000 to be used towards education related expenses. The scholarship will be awarded to two students for the 2020-21 school year and two students for the 2021-22 school year. To be considered, students will write an essay stating what they would see as impactful change around racial injustice and inequity, or around what they feel the accounting profession can do to impact change in racial injustice and inequality.

An eligible applicant must:

• Be Black and/or African American AND attend school in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Minnesota.
• Be a current accounting student with plans to pursue CPA Licensure, but not currently be a CPA.
• Be an AICPA Student Affiliate member (or have submitted a new member application). Apply online at no cost: https://thiswaytocpa.com/join-aicpa/.
• Not be a current AICPA Legacy Scholar or AICPA Foundation CPA Exam Scholarship recipient.
• Have some financial need (i.e., not receiving any scholarship(s), grant(s), or employer reimbursement that combined would exceed one’s educational expenses).
• Be attending a public or private, not-for-profit (501(c)) four-year college or university in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Minnesota for the full 2021-22 academic year.
• Be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate-level degree in accounting or an accounting-related major at a public or private, not-for-profit (501(c)) four-year college or university in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Minnesota (accounting-related shall be as determined by sponsors in sponsors’ sole discretion).
• Be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate (12 semester hours or equivalent) or a full-time graduate-level student (9 semester hours or equivalent) for the 2021-22 academic year at a public or private, not-for-profit (501(c)) four-year college or university in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Minnesota. (Note: an exception may be granted if you plan to participate in an internship)
• Have completed at least 30 semester hours (or equivalent) of college coursework, including at least 6 semester hours (or equivalent) in accounting, by end of summer 2021.
• Maintain an overall and major GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
• Be A U.S. citizen or permanent resident (green card holder).
• Be enrolled in a business and/or accounting program that is regionally, nationally or internationally accredited for the full 2021-22 academic year. The program must be accepted by the state board of accountancy as meeting the educational requirements necessary for CPA licensure in the state you intend to become licensed OR in the state of Minnesota.
  
  Please visit ThisWayToCPA’s State & Territory Requirements or contact your state board of accountancy to confirm if your program meets the educational requirements necessary for CPA licensure.

Required documents:

• An essay stating what you would see as impactful change around racial injustice and inequity, or around what you feel the accounting profession can do to impact change in racial injustice and inequality (up to 5,000 words).
• Unofficial or official-student-issued transcript(s) uploaded through the application.
• A copy of your updated resume.
• A completed online application.

Contact Information: scholarships@aicpa.org

Note: Association staff and their family members are not eligible to apply.