GSCPA Hosts Georgia High Schoolers for the Fifth Annual Rising Professionals Program
The Georgia Society of CPAs hosted its fifth annual Rising Professionals Program in Atlanta on October 18, 2019. The program educates high school students on the benefits of a career in the accounting profession and the day-to-day lives of CPAs.
Fifty high school juniors and seniors from eleven high schools attended the event. Participants were chosen by their teachers and counselors, who sent applications to a volunteer panel who selected the attendees.
Students heard from a variety of industry professionals, including past chair of the GSCPA Board of Directors and current chair of the GSCPA Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, Barbara Evans, and Evelyn Rosier, project manager at T.O.P. Solutions Group.
Students learned about accounting and business through a variety of educational sessions. The most interactive of these sessions taught students about management styles and working together. This session titled “Pins and Straws” showed groups of students how work as a team to build a structure with minimal materials; group leaders were each instructed to lead by utilizing different styles of leadership. This session was lead by Tyrone Harvey of EY, with assistance by Alicia Wilson of South Wire, Kathryn Fletcher of Draffin & Tucker, and Biniyam Terfe of Welch Financial Advisors.
Additional activities included a networking session with Jimmy Lee and Naama Wolf of Bennett Thrasher; a "Day in the Life" of a CPA session with Melissa Henderson of Smith & Howard; and an accounting leadership panel who offered career stories and words of advice for students. The panel consisted of Gina Miller from Bennett Thrasher, Colleen Waddell of Aprio, Patrick Hill from Home Depot, and Howard Mosby from Grady Health System.
Before the event, each student’s application was scored based on factors including qualifying questions and essays. Throughout this year's program, students were continually scored by Chris Conrad of Smith & Howard, and Khari Rosier-Robinson of Windham Brannon based on their participation. Scores were tallied, and eight students were awarded scholarships at the end of the program based on their performance.
Scholarship contributors included:
- GSCPA ($1,000 scholarship to a senior and a $500 scholarship to a junior);
- Smith & Howard ($1,000 scholarship to a senior and one $500 scholarship to a junior);
- Aprio ($1,000 scholarship);
- Bennett Thrasher ($1,000 scholarship to a senior);
- GSCPA Diversity and Inclusion Task Force ($500 scholarship);
- The Educational Foundation of the GSCPA ($500 scholarship to a senior).
For future events, GSCPA will be looking for volunteers as well as scholarship donations. If you or your firm would like to participate or donate, please contact Callie Hammond at chammond@gscpa.org or 404-504-2953.
