Huntington University student wins scholarship

Release provided by Independent Colleges of Indiana.

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana CPA Society takes an active role in providing financial assistance to encourage accounting careers and promote financial educational activities for Indiana students. One such effort is the awarding of $23,000 in scholarships since 2002 to 36 students at independent campuses across the state through a program managed by the Independent Colleges of Indiana.

Selected by an independent panel of judges, this year's five winners have each been awarded a $500 scholarship:

David Erpelding, Manchester College, Lowell, IN

Kaitlyn A. Kroeger, University of Notre Dame, Newburgh, IN

Caleb Laidig, Bethel College, Mishawaka, IN

Jeffrey P Nywening, Indiana Wesleyan University, Elkhart, IN

Melanie S. Tart, Huntington University, Wabash, IN

The career outlook for these scholarship winners and other accounting students remains strong. According to a recent report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for accountants and auditors is expected to grow "faster than average," with an 18 percent increase in the number of jobs projected for the decade of 2006-2016. In addition to the opening of new businesses, this strong forecast is attributed to changing financial laws and corporate governance regulations, as well as the demand for increased accountability by stakeholders.

"Indiana's accounting students are the future of the CPA profession in the Hoosier state," said INCPAS President & CEO Gary Bolinger, CAE. "Thanks to ICI, the Indiana CPA Educational Foundation has been able to continue its mission of supporting students in accounting programs who plan to pursue the CPA designation."

"The Independent Colleges of Indiana is very pleased to partner with the Indiana CPA Society on this scholarship initiative," says Tony Maidenberg, ICI interim president and CEO. "We know that our colleges and universities are uniquely positioned to help address the need for high-quality and ethical financial professionals because of their strong academic programs and strong emphasis on personal values and ethics."

INCPAS turned over management of scholarship funds from the Indiana CPA Educational Foundation for the state's independent (private) colleges and universities to the Independent Colleges of Indiana six years ago. Ball State University Foundation administers the funds for students from public colleges and universities.

INCPAS is headquartered in Indianapolis and serves as the statewide professional association for CPAs. Currently, more than 7,000 CPAs in public practice, industry, government and education are members of the Society. INCPAS serves the public interest as well as its members. Its members are required to abide by the CPA profession's code of conduct. INCPAS members also receive access to quality educational programs provided by the Society, resources that enable them to better perform their job functions, and peer networking for information sharing that broadens their skills and knowledge base. Indiana CPA Society members are the most highly qualified and competent CPAs in Indiana. Make sure your CPA is a member of the Indiana CPA Society.

Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. (ICI) is a nonprofit corporation that represents the state's 31 nonprofit, accredited, undergraduate degree-granting institutions of higher education. ICI member institutions enroll more than 85,000 students (approximately 22 percent of all students statewide) and annually produce 35 percent of all bachelor's degrees in Indiana.