Aspiring Black CPA Scholarship Recipients Announced

In 1921, 25 years after the first certified public accountant (CPA) certificate was granted in the United States, John W. Cromwell Jr. became the first Black CPA. He opened a door through which thousands of Black accountants would eventually pass. That door has opened wider thanks to the Aspiring Black CPA Scholarship—a one-time national scholarship initiative established to provide immediate financial support for Black and African American accounting students and professionals pursuing the CPA credential.

The Aspiring Black CPA Scholarship was supported by generous individual and organizational donations to the Black CPA Centennial Fund, which raised $93,500 as part of the yearlong celebration in 2021 honoring the 100-year anniversary of Cromwell’s landmark achievement.

“Our intent was to help pave the way for more Black individuals to pursue the CPA credential and succeed in a more diverse and inclusive CPA profession,” says Todd Shapiro, president and CEO of the Illinois CPA Society, speaking on behalf of the Black CPA Centennial’s organizing partners. “The 100 scholarships we’ve been able to award, in honor of the 100-year commemoration, are going directly to deserving students and professionals to provide meaningful financial assistance to each of them as they strive to overcome their unique financial barriers during their pursuit of the coveted CPA credential.”