Accounting Careers Committee

• Be aware of committee activities and actively think of and suggest new idea for the committee.

•  Actively discuss the activities of the committee as well as accounting as a profession to whoever will listen.

• Encourage staff or whoever you have influence over, to speak to high schools, encourage firms to adopt a school, or other profession awareness building activities.  Promote others getting involved and taking ownership of the accounting profession.

Past Business/Updates:

• Young Entrepreneurial Scholars Program (YES) – held at UW-Oshkosh, it is a two-week program for HS students. The WICPA Educational Foundation is a sponsor of this program.
• 100 CPAs in 100 Schools – which is our HS speaking program.  70 CPAs spoke last year, and we are near 50 already this year. (Please recruit others to speak.)
• Bob Gruber added that UW-W sends out letters to high schools in the state and also teams of speakers. They visited 24 HS this year – approximately 700 students.  He also told us that UW-W is having an accounting (only) career fair next year – Sept 13, 2007 6-8 pm.
• Various individuals attended HS career fairs.
  • Leah and Mike attended the Ozaukee County Career Fair that was open to various HS in that area.
  • Kevin attended the Pius HS career fair.
  • They all noted that students often asked what University was “good” for accounting.
• Adopt a School – 20 schools have been adopted in the state.  Firms interact with schools in a variety of ways, including field trips to the firm where they students do case studies, play CPA games, have additional speakers in class, and work with the teachers in various ways. There are lots of good ideas on the WICPA website.
• WBEA Conference – held in La Crosse this year. The WICPA had a booth and sponsored a session where Linda Dicks discussed the results from a survey of college accounting majors. A copy was handed out to committee members. That survey indicated that he biggest influence on choosing accounting as a major was a students HS accounting teacher. Mike suggested that we target HS teachers in schools that don’t offer accounting – since this is a big influence. Ann Dee noted that the AICPA has been working on making Accounting be an AP course and that HS is attracting more students to accounting classes because teachers are changing their methods. Attendance has been climbing in those classes in the last few years. She suggested possibly using a survey to the HS business teachers to gather information regarding accounting class information, attendance, etc.
• HS Educators Symposiums – Sponsored by the WICPA. The Oct 13 session had 24 teachers, the Nov 3 session had 50 teachers. This has been our biggest year.
• College visits – Leah has made 4 college visits  (La Crosse, MU –twice, and Oshkosh).  She has been encouraging them to join the WICPA and sharing with the benefits of membership.  She also noted that Beta members need to do community service, so they should be encouraged to speak to HS students.
• Financial literacy – Ann Dee gave us several updates on these programs:
  • Money Smart Week – a state wide literacy campaign that held several events around the state during the week of Oct
  • Reality Store – a large volunteer undertaking that involves students “playing life” and dealing with financial issues.  On 12/15 McFarland is having one. On 4/20 – all Waukesha HS will participate in a store at WCTC
  • Feed the Pig – is a new savings campaign put out by the Ad Council & AICPA targeting 25-34 year olds.  Ann Dee showed us several TV commercials and gave us a hand-out with additional information. See www.feedthepig.org. This is big. Let Mary know if you see any ads.
  • Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition: is a collaborative financial literacy initiative which provides a forum to help coordinate and amplify existing private and public organizations with proven programs and materials to promote financial literacy among youth. WICPA has partnered with them.
• Young Professionals Forum – 55 young accounting professionals attended an event held by the WICPA to find out what this age group is looking for in a professional organization. The event was highly successful and ideas generated will be used in planning various member initiatives for this group.
• Ph.D. Shortage – A group of Wisconsin accounting professors came together on Dec. 1 to address the Ph.D. shortage and ways to alleviate the problem.

New Business/brainstorming:

• 2007 Accounting Career Awareness Grants – this is the 3^rd year that the Educational Foundation has offered the grants. All teachers who attend the Symposium are eligible to apply.  Last year 10 grants were awarded.
  • Pizza Party at UW-W – hope to have that scheduled again in the Spring – allows various individuals in accounting careers to speak with undeclared majors.  We are hoping to expand this to UW-Oshkosh as well.
  • CPA2B – this newsletter is currently in the works – and will be mailed in Jan 2007 to 4000 students in Wisconsin.
  • Takin’ Care of Business kit from AICPA – all materials are on DVD – games, videos and educator handbook.

• Ann Dee told all present that her last day at the WICPA is Dec 11, after that she will be taking a position with a local publisher.

Other business – Committee roster at www.wicpa.org on Accounting Careers Committee page. 

Next meeting

• The next meeting date will be set and email will be sent to committee members sometime in the future.

Meeting adjourned