Successful inaugural Accounting Opportunities Week by the numbers
Stephanie Schmidt, director of membership and marketing | February/March 2023 Footnote
Editor's note: Updated January 31, 2023
Many students are making career decisions earlier than ever, which is why it’s important to share with high school — and even middle school — students the opportunities available with a career in accounting. The best way to ignite that spark is for those students to hear directly from CPAs.
Enter the first Accounting Opportunities Week, held Nov. 7–11, 2022.
In an ongoing effort to grow the CPA pipeline, the MNCPA joined forces with 35 state CPA societies and the AICPA in a concentrated effort to raise awareness of the accounting profession within schools nationwide.
In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz issued an official proclamation — declaring it Accounting Opportunities Week — and dozens of MNCPA member volunteers spoke to nearly 1,000 students about their career paths, the important role CPAs play in businesses and communities, and the variety of options available to them with an accounting degree.
This initiative complements the MNCPA’s yearlong Talk to the Students program that connects MNCPA members, who often have local ties to a particular community, with students and faculty at high schools to encourage students to enter the accounting field.
The pilot Accounting Opportunities Week initiative was a success locally and nationally. Take a look at the numbers:
In Minnesota:
- Number of MNCPA volunteers: 19 members gave presentations; 2 were placed at career fairs.
- Number of high schools involved: 23
- Number of presentations given: 38
- Approximate total number of students reached: 930
Overall stats from the AICPA:
- Number of state CPA Societies involved: 35
- Number of CPA volunteers giving presentations: 415
- Number of high schools involved: 382
- Number of presentations given: 508
- Number of students reached: 12,566
Talk to the Students
If you’re interested in sharing your career path with high school students, consider volunteering for Talk to the Students. You provide your time and expertise, and we’ll arrange the placement and provide the materials. To learn more, send a note to
membership@mncpa.org.
