CHICAGO, Sept. 25, 2024 – The Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS) is now accepting applications for its 13th annual Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program, which will be held virtually from Jan. 7-9, 2025. This award-winning, three-day program is dedicated to preparing students for success and increasing diversity in the accounting profession. Applications are due on Nov. 4, 2024, and can be submitted at www.icpas.org/mtww.
College students who identify as a racial or ethnic minority who are Illinois residents, or who attend college in Illinois, and are seeking internships in accounting are encouraged to apply. Following a competitive selection process, program scholars will partake in an agenda that will arm them with the skills needed to secure their first accounting position and work toward earning the CPA credential. Participants will engage in various sessions with representatives from Abbott, Baker Tilly LLP, Crowe LLP, Deloitte LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, Forvis Mazars LLP, Grant Thornton LLP, Hyatt Hotels Corp., KPMG LLP, McDonald’s Corp., Northern Trust Corp., PwC LLP, Sikich LLP, Topel Forman LLC, and Wipfli LLP, who’ll also interview participants for a variety of paid internships.
Other program highlights include motivational keynotes, resume advice, interview coaching, and opportunities to network with other diverse accounting students and professionals. All participants receive a $500 scholarship to help with their educational expenses.
“We’re honored to welcome another class of future CPAs to this pivotal program,” says ICPAS President and CEO Geoffrey Brown, CAE. “It’s inspiring to see these students unlock their potential and grow through the motivation and guidance they receive. We’re committed to advancing diversity in accounting, and we’re excited to support this cohort as they help shape the future of the CPA profession.”
The program—which currently has more than 330 alumni—is funded by donations to the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois’ Mary T. Washington Wylie Opportunity Fund, which honors her legacy as the first Black female CPA in the United States and as a trailblazer who opened doors for generations of aspiring CPAs to follow in her historic footsteps.