MassCPAs expands high school outreach via community college

The Massachusetts Society of CPAs committed $25,000 Tuesday to Bristol Community College in Fall River to support the expansion of early college programs and courses in public high schools.

The grant will also provide MassCPAs and its 11,000 members the opportunity to educate students in the community on different career paths in the profession, a strategic goal of the society.

The announcement comes a year after the society announced a $25,000 grant to Middlesex Community College for the same purposes and after successfully launching two early college academy programs at Haverhill and Chicopee High Schools. Each program offers college-level courses and credit to interested high school students, at no cost.

“Accounting is a vibrant and expanding profession that offers a lot of room for career growth and advancement, and it’s our job to help students explore all of the opportunities available to them,” said MassCPAs president and CEO Amy Pitter in a statement. “We’ve seen the success and impact these programs have had, and the meaningful relationships our members have built with students as a result. We’re excited to continue this work in partnership with the Bristol Community College team.”

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Massachusetts Society of CPAs president and CEO Amy Pitter

Students who participate in the program will learn the fundamentals of accounting, economics, statistics and information technology, or another relevant course topic. In addition to classroom studies, students will also get some real-life experiences through internships, career-readiness workshops and mentoring opportunities, all supported by accounting firms and businesses in the area.

The grant is funded by the MassCPAs Educational Foundation, which also runs summer programs for diverse young people who are interested in careers in business and accounting. For more information, visit masscpas.org/edfoundation.

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