American Indian Graduate Center invests in future accounting professionals

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The American Indian Graduate Center has created the Investing in Native CPAs Program, a $2 million scholarship initiative that will fund 150 Native scholars pursuing accounting and finance degrees with the goal of increasing Native certified public accountants, or CPAs, within the next 10 years.

The initiative is funded with a $1 million gift from the Johnson Scholarship Foundation and a $1 million match from the AIGC.

AIGC officials said this Investing in Native CPAs initiative will increase diversity in the accounting and finance fields and that the scholarship will support Native students with tuition and the cost of exam fees required for professional licensure, such as the Uniform CPA Examination Fee.

“The Investing in Native CPAs initiative addresses an opportunity gap in the accounting and finance fields,” AIGC Executive Director Angelique Albert said. “Data from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) indicates Native professionals represent only 0.3% of individuals holding both a bachelor and master’s degree in accounting — the population most likely to attain a CPA.

“To promote self-determination in tribally driven economic development, it is critical to have a full spectrum of financial and accounting professionals,” Albert added. “Through the Investing in Native CPAs Program, American Indian Graduate Center is developing a stream of Native CPAs and finance officers with the skill sets necessary to empower tribal communities.”

To learn more about the Investing in Native CPAs Program and all of the AIGC’s scholarship opportunities, email fellowships@aigcs.org. For information about AIGC scholarships, visit www.AIGCS.org.

American Indian Graduate Center is a national private 501(c)(3) non-profit providing scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate, graduate and professional students throughout the United States.

The Johnson Scholarship Foundation funds scholarships and other programs, which serve people in financial need. The foundation’s programs are meant to help people who, through no fault of their own, do not enjoy the advantages of the affluent.