Governor Rick Scott Announces Nearly $200,000 in Scholarships Awarded to Minority Students Seeking to Become a CPA

Press Release

Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation's (DBPR) Division of Certified Public Accounting today announced it awarded nearly $200,000 in scholarships to minority students in accounting programs at colleges and universities throughout Florida. The scholarships are awarded to 30 accounting students pursuing their fifth year in college required to become a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Governor Scott said, "Florida is home to some of the best colleges and universities in the nation, and we are pleased to reward these students for their hard work. These scholarships are helping to keep some of our brightest minds here in Florida, as these students work to attain their version of the American Dream. We are so proud of their accomplishments and cannot wait to see what all they can achieve as they pursue a career as a licensed CPA."

The Clay Ford scholarships were awarded through the CPA Education Minority Assistance Program, which was created in 1999 to encourage minorities to enter the CPA profession.

"Providing an opportunity for minority accounting students to pursue a career as a licensed CPA enriches the profession as a whole," said DBPR Secretary Ken Lawson. "Florida is known for its diverse population and by encouraging students from all backgrounds to enter this field provides these students with an opportunity to complete education requirements to become successful state-licensed professionals. In Florida, only licensed CPAs can perform certain services such as financial audits."

The CPA Education Minority Assistance Program is funded by a portion from each individual and CPA firm license fee. Through the award, scholarship applicants may be awarded up to $6,000 per semester for a maximum of two semesters.

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