CHICAGO, June 5, 2023 – The Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS)—one of the largest state associations in the nation serving the certified public accountant (CPA) community—is pleased to award $106,000 in scholarships through its charitable partner, the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois. This year, 54 accounting students from 20 Illinois colleges and universities will receive tuition scholarships for demonstrating strong academic performance, leadership qualities, and financial need.
While most of the scholarships reward college upperclassmen interested in pursuing the CPA credential, 11 scholarships were awarded to racial and ethnic minority high school seniors who are planning to major in accounting beginning this fall as part of ICPAS’ efforts to strengthen the pipeline of diverse accounting students.
These scholarships are made possible thanks to the generosity of more than 1,000 annual donors who support the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois. Donor contributions also support initiatives like ICPAS’ CPA Exam Award Program, Student Influencer Program, and Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program, which help students and CPA candidates transition into the profession by enhancing their business skills and providing financial aid toward their CPA exam preparation and testing.
“Supporting promising students in their pursuit of a higher education is an essential and rewarding means to bringing positive change and diversity into our communities and the accounting profession,” says Geoffrey Brown, CAE, ICPAS president and CEO. “We’re fortunate to expand the reach of our scholarships and reward these students, who’ve all shown clear determination to pursue accounting and the CPA credential. We look forward to seeing where their academic journeys take them.”
The 2023-2024 academic year scholarship recipients are:
|
ICPAS Accounting Scholarships
|
|
|
Name
|
School
|
Hometown
|
|
Ameena Alhammo
|
DePaul University
|
West Chicago
|
|
Ethan Ament
|
DePaul University
|
Westfield, N.J.
|
|
Mieza Andoh
|
Southern Illinois University
|
Carbondale
|
|
Tommy Balle
|
Bradley University
|
Darien
|
|
Robert Beattie
|
University of Illinois
|
Morris
|
|
Emma Betts
|
Olivet Nazarene University
|
Secor
|
|
Brian Cohen
|
University of Illinois Springfield
|
Auburn
|
|
Dominic Colella
|
DePaul University
|
Addison
|
|
Katie Fredericks
|
Northern Illinois University
|
Naperville
|
|
James George
|
Loyola University
|
Niles
|
|
Alexa Gonzalez
|
University of Illinois
|
Hoffman Estates
|
|
Michael Klazura
|
North Central College
|
Geneva
|
|
Tawer Matloub
|
DePaul University
|
Des Plaines
|
|
Justin Murray
|
University of Illinois
|
Frankfort
|
|
Michael Opoku
|
Southern Illinois University
|
Carbondale
|
|
Toby Plattner
|
Illinois State University
|
Secor
|
|
Brynn Poppen
|
Loyola University
|
Chicago
|
|
Diana Reyes
|
Aurora University
|
West Chicago
|
|
Liam Rudin
|
Illinois State University
|
Springfield
|
|
Hannah Sheahan
|
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
|
Troy
|
|
Michael Sisson
|
DePaul University
|
Downers Grove
|
|
Ian Troester
|
University of Illinois
|
Mokena
|
|
Evelynn Tylka
|
University of Oregon
|
Orland Park
|
|
Daniel Villa del Rey
|
University of Illinois Chicago
|
Oak Forest
|
|
Samuel Wilson
|
University of Illinois
|
Wheaton
|
|
Katelyn Young
|
DePaul University
|
Lockport
|
|
Maria Zuleta
|
Northern Illinois University
|
Elgin
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
ICPAS Freshman Diversity Scholarships
|
|
|
Jonathan Daniels
|
Northern Illinois University
|
Glenwood
|
|
Angela Galicia De La Cruz
|
Aurora University
|
Aurora
|
|
Isabella Gamboa
|
DePaul University
|
Chicago
|
|
Cynthia Gamino
|
Harold Washington College
|
Chicago
|
|
Evelyn Guerra Sanchez
|
Saint Xavier University
|
Bolingbrook
|
|
Monique Hart
|
Rend Lake College
|
Metropolis
|
|
Makayla Hill
|
Saint Xavier University
|
Chicago
|
|
Jared Reyes
|
University of Illinois
|
Mundelein
|
|
Alyssa Richard
|
Northern Illinois University
|
Chicago
|
|
Kylie Thomas
|
Illinois State University
|
Normal
|
|
David Vargas
|
Elgin Community College
|
Hanover Park
|
| |
|
|
ICPAS Herman J. Neal Accounting Scholarships
|
|
|
Lauren Frye
|
Loyola University
|
Ypsilanti, Mich.
|
|
Kenyon Helm
|
Aurora University
|
Aurora
|
|
Shyrice Howell
|
Northeastern Illinois University
|
Chicago
|
|
Amani Pittman
|
Loyola University
|
Chicago
|
|
JaMicah Sawyer
|
Loyola University
|
Chicago
|
|
Darius Wright
|
University of Illinois
|
North Miami Beach, Fla.
|
| |
|
|
|
ICPAS James A. Sikich Visionary Accounting Scholarships
|
|
Jack Glazer
|
University of Illinois
|
Deerfield
|
|
Alexander Tosetti
|
Augustana College
|
Nokomis
|
| |
|
|
|
ICPAS Women’s Executive Committee Advancing Women in Accounting Scholarships
|
|
Cheka Bauldry
|
Loyola University
|
Oakland, Calif.
|
|
Lauren Cerbin
|
University of Illinois
|
Belleville
|
|
Katherine De Zayas
|
DePaul University
|
Chicago
|
|
Megan Fowler
|
Loyola University
|
Wallingford, Conn.
|
|
Ashley Heagy
|
Illinois State University
|
Peru
|
|
Jessica Laughlin
|
Illinois State University
|
Normal
|
|
Beauty Olonilua
|
University of Illinois
|
DeKalb
|
|
Kacey Tillery
|
University of Illinois Springfield
|
Franklin
|
###
About the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois
The CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1998 by Illinois CPA Society members. The fund was created to ensure ongoing funding for scholarship and outreach programs. The programs are geared toward encouraging individuals to choose accounting as a career and achieve the CPA credential. Visit www.icpas.org/annualfund.