CHICAGO, January 15, 2020 – In just three days, 26 college accounting students from diverse backgrounds gained a significant advantage in launching their careers. They are the newest class of scholars to complete the Illinois CPA Society’s highly competitive Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program. During their winter break, program participants received specialized training, mentoring, and coaching aimed at helping them secure internships and become future accounting and finance professionals. Additionally, all participants received a $500 scholarship to help with educational expenses.

The program connected students with representatives from major companies and accounting firms who led sessions and conducted interviews for a variety of paid accounting internships. Professional partners included: Abbott, Crowe LLP, Deloitte LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, Grant Thornton LLP,  Hyatt Hotels Corporation, KPMG LLP, PwC LLP, and Sikich LLP.

The Illinois CPA Society is proud to recognize the following 2020 Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program Scholars:

Name	School	Hometown
Shania Aguilar Michael Beauford Jared Dandridge Diana Diego Ami Eklou Azalea Garcia Miguel Gutierrez DeAndra Harley Takeda Hill Taniayah Johnson Christopher Johnson Sonia Lee David Mason Tyler Moseberry Alejandra Nava Tiara Nelson Eldrin Oatis Cameron Petersen Meryem Rehich Eduardo Rodriguez Raisa Salik Eman Samra Genesis Sarmiento Hardeep Sekhon Reginald Willis Samantha Zanches-Zamudio	Aurora University Governors State University Governors State University Aurora University Western Illinois University Lewis University Morton College University of Illinois at Chicago Governors State University Knox College University of St. Francis Harold Washington College Augustana College Western Illinois University Kishwaukee College Harold Washington College Chicago State University Illinois State University Northeastern Illinois University Benedictine University University of Illinois at Chicago Governors State University Augustana College Harper College Monmouth College Lewis University	Sandwich Chicago Park Forest Aurora Moline Joliet Berwyn Chicago Park Forest Chicago Hillside Chicago Rock Island Naperville Rochelle Chicago Chicago Normal Chicago Chicago Skokie Burbank Chicago Palatine Chicago Lockport

The Internship Preparation Program is funded by donations to the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois’ Mary T. Washington Wylie Opportunity Fund. 

Mary T. Washington Wylie, a Chicagoan who graduated from Northwestern University, began her own accounting practice in a basement on the city’s South Side in 1939. She became the first African-American female CPA in the U.S. in 1943 and was a trailblazer for minorities entering the accounting profession. This program bearing her name advances diversity within the profession by building skills and presenting new opportunities for minority accounting students to be successful.

The 2020 class of Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program scholars.