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Illinois CPA Society Announces Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program Scholars

This competitive program is renowned for preparing promising Illinois-based racial and ethnic minority college students interested in pursuing careers in accounting with the skills needed to obtain their first accounting positions and ultimately pursue the CPA credential

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The Illinois CPA Society and its charitable partner, the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois, have announced the 12th and largest group to date to complete its award-winning Mary T. Washington Wylie Internship Preparation Program. This competitive program is renowned for preparing promising Illinois-based racial and ethnic minority college students interested in pursuing careers in accounting with the skills needed to obtain their first accounting positions and ultimately pursue the certified public accountant (CPA) credential. Congratulations to the 41 scholars from this year’s class:

NameAcademic InstitutionCity
Abigail AdjeiDePaul UniversityWillowbrook, Ill.
Kevin AkinsAugustana CollegeMaywood, Ill.
Anne AkpabioMidwestern State UniversityChicago
Taylor BelloUniversity of Illinois ChicagoChicago
Nicholas CamachoAugustana CollegeChicago
Leslye CarrascoUniversity of Illinois ChicagoCicero, Ill.
Cherrell CobbinsDePaul UniversityOak Lawn, Ill.
Gregory CollinsGovernors State UniversityMonee, Ill.
Luis CorralRichard J. Daley CollegeChicago
Clarissa CortinaMorton CollegeLyons, Ill.
Alfred DzakpasuSouthern Illinois UniversityCarbondale, Ill.
Dasjha EguasaNorthern Illinois UniversityDeKalb, Ill.
Emma FaglaAugustana CollegeEast Moline, Ill.
Karen Fonseca MunozUniversity of St. FrancisHarvey, Ill.
Bryan GrimaldoAurora UniversityMontgomery, Ill.
Richea HaygoodOlive Harvey CollegeChicago
Andrea HernandezLewis UniversityPlainfield, Ill.
Abdurrahman IbrahimDePaul UniversityMorton Grove, Ill.
Malak JellouliCollege of DuPageNaperville, Ill.
Milca JimenezLewis UniversityCrest Hill, Ill.
Maryam KhanCollege of DuPageLombard, Ill.
Solyana KifleAugustana CollegeRock Island, Ill.
Nadya MahoneyUniversity of Illinois ChicagoLa Grange, Ill.
Bemnet MelesseAugustana CollegeRock Island, Ill.
Christopher MunozLoyola University ChicagoCicero, Ill.
Jasmine NevarezArrupe College of Loyola University Chicago     Chicago
Ali NeziriCollege of DuPageDowners Grove, Ill.
Ethan OrangeDominican UniversityMunster, Ind.
Erik OrtegaUniversity of IllinoisCarpentersville, Ill.
Jerome PhillipsUniversity of IllinoisBroadview, Ill.
Martha Pierre-LouisLoyola University ChicagoChicago
Sandra Pinzon Velazquez     Morton CollegeBerwyn, Ill.
Rafael RamirezAugustana CollegeRock Island, Ill.
Desire SebakaraUniversity of Illinois ChicagoChicago
Chakyra SpaceChicago State UniversityChicago
Tiara SpikenerAurora UniversityAurora, Ill.
Isiah TalleyUniversity of Illinois ChicagoChicago
Delanee TelfordUniversity of IllinoisChicago
Jerrly VarugheseUniversity of St. FrancisJoliet, Ill.
Guadalupe ViramontesSaint Xavier UniversityPosen, Ill.
Atanda WilliamsGovernors State UniversityNaperville, Ill.

The three-day, virtual program took place Jan. 3-5, 2024, where these diverse scholars and prospective CPAs received customized training, access to interviews, CPA exam guidance, and more. Some program highlights included motivational speeches and insightful panel discussions, resume and LinkedIn profile advice, interview coaching, and opportunities to network with other diverse accounting students and professionals.

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The scholars engaged in various sessions and interviews with representatives from Abbott, Baker Tilly US LLP, Crowe LLP, Deloitte LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, FORVIS LLP, Grant Thornton LLP, Hyatt Hotels Corp., KPMG LLP, McDonald’s Corp., Northern Trust Corp., PwC LLP, Sikich LLP, Topel Forman LLC, and Wipfli LLP. All participants also received $500 scholarships to help with their educational expenses. Additionally, through a partnership with the University of Illinois, participants had the opportunity to interview for a free tuition and stipend scholarship for the university’s Master of Accounting Science program.

“We remain dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the CPA profession, and the ongoing expansion and enhancement of this crucial program continues to be a top priority,” says Kari L. Natale, CAE, vice president of the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois. “This impressive cohort represents the future of the CPA profession. It was a privilege to get to know them, observing as they conquered common barriers and gained the courage and skills necessary to become the best versions of themselves.”

The program, which now boasts 338 alumni, is funded by donations to the CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois’ Mary T. Washington Wylie Opportunity Fund. This fund honors Washington Wylie’s legacy as a trailblazer in the accounting profession. Washington Wylie was a Chicagoan and Northwestern University graduate who founded her own accounting practice in a South Side Chicago basement in 1939 and became the first Black female CPA in the United States in 1943. She is widely and highly regarded for making it her life’s mission to hire and mentor aspiring Black CPAs.