GEN NEXT: Garima Arora, CPA

My first true introduction to extracurricular involvement began in high school when I tried to join the tennis team. I arrived at tryouts, somewhat naively, assuming others were also “trying out” the sport for the first time. It quickly became clear that I was surrounded by peers who had been taking tennis lessons since they were toddlers and were now positioned to excel in the sport.

This was a pivotal moment in helping me understand the role that early access, opportunity, and knowledge have in giving an individual a “head start” to maximizing their potential. It also instilled a powerful philosophy within me that has guided my educational and professional journey: There’s no better time to learn something than now, and it’s our collective duty to ensure that head starts become the new baseline for everyone.

When I took my first accounting class as a high school senior, I was amazed by how much there was to learn, especially on the personal finance side. It wasn’t until I started discussing my learnings at home with my family that I realized I was a beneficiary of immense privilege: My parents had a foundational understanding of financial literacy and could answer my questions about topics like mortgages and compound interest.

Little did I know, I was my own version of that “toddler” attending a tennis lesson—except, instead of tennis, I was someone who had been given a head start in financial literacy. Between my high school accounting teacher and my family, I had the resources to build my personal finance knowledge and skills from an early age.

Having that realization became a driving force throughout my educational and professional journey, deeply influencing my career path and community involvement. After high school, I became a strong advocate for accounting education and shared my recommendations for improved accessibility to the profession as a student panelist at an AICPA conference. In college, I became interested in a consulting career and completed an impactful project for a nonprofit health care organization.

Fast forward to today, I volunteer with the financial literacy-focused nonprofit Junior Achievement and lead a skills-based volunteering program at my firm in Chicago.

As certified public accountants (CPAs), we have undergone extensive study, providing us with a valuable knowledge base and skill set. Therefore, it’s up to us to ensure we can expand our impact beyond client service to support our communities. There are many opportunities to volunteer with local nonprofits to help elementary through high school students build their financial literacy skills. As a young professional, I’m especially aware of the unique position I’m in to be able to better connect with students and explain complex financial topics in an understandable way.

Our collective expertise as CPAs extends far beyond traditional client service. It can bridge gaps in access, opportunity, and knowledge, serving as a powerful tool to transform lives and strengthen our communities. My experiences have shown me that by actively engaging in volunteerism and sharing our specialized skills, we can go beyond providing head starts. We can build a future where everyone’s starting line is a place of equitable opportunity.

Related Content:

• GEN NEXT: Delante Greer, ChFEBC: Pivoting from a career in law enforcement to financial planning isn’t as drastic as one might think—for this young professional, it’s still about helping and protecting people.
• GEN NEXT: Ivory Pineda, CPA: From “rolling store girl” in the Philippines to earning her CPA credential in the United States, this young professional makes it her mission to showcase accounting’s opportunities.