Programs
High School
Accounting Career Awareness Program
The Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP) is a unique pipeline from high school to college that allows students to become prepared and informed about the expectations of college life and exposes them to various programs of study. ACAP is powered by NABA Inc. and is hosted on select college campuses. High school students enter the NABA pipeline to help build future Black Business Leaders with a focus on directing them to major in accounting, finance, and its related business fields including entrepreneurship. It included a one-week residency at a college or university combined with year-round programming.
ACAP introduces underrepresented diverse high school students to accounting, finance, economics, technology, and management while providing the foundation of financial literacy and the development of interpersonal skills. Prominent business leaders share their knowledge, provide tips for success, and discuss career opportunities. Student’s experience careers in accounting firsthand through tours of local certified public accounting firms and companies in the private sector. Students to learn the value of collaboration and teamwork through the group projects or case study initiatives. The program concludes with a recognition luncheon or banquet for students, parents, speakers, and corporate partners.
CAE enhances the college experience by hosting ACAP with the School of Business’ Summer Enrichment Program. This provides an exciting glimpse of the college experience and challenges students to engage in co-curricular activities beyond their cohort. CAE has been a stakeholder since ACAP’s beginning in 1980. NABA Inc.’s commitment to ensuring each student will receive free tuition, room, and board, books, materials, tools, NABA HS membership, and mentoring continue to be pivotal experience for those exploring a college journey.
Learn more about the program
Community College
Accounting Scholars Development Program
The Accounting Scholars Development Program (ASDP) is a residential summer program that gives community college students a glimpse of university life and the accounting profession. ASDP offers a range of academic and professional activities that promote transfer to a bachelor's degree-granting institution to be eligible for the CPA license.
What to Expect
ASDP is a week-long program focused exclusively on accounting. Participants engage in rigorous, hands-on sessions taught by senior accounting faculty and experts from CPA firms. The sessions are designed to provide participants with the skills needed to successfully manage the transition from community college, knowledge about the accounting curriculum and profession, and confidence to establish leadership cohorts to support them through academia. The cost of student participants’ transportation to/from Washington, DC, accommodations, and meals are covered by the sponsors.
Requirements
Eligible applicants must:
- Be enrolled in a community, tribal or other college and interested in exploring a career in accounting
- Have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours of study at the time of their participation (Unofficial Transcript Required)
- Have maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA (exceptions on a case by case basis)
- Be actively involved in campus or community activities or be employed
- Have not attended a past workshop
- Provide a letter of recommendation (either from a faculty member or a current employer)
- Answer a short essay question in the application
Program Impact
“I had the remarkable opportunity to participate in the Accounting Scholars Development Program (ASDP) in the summer of 2014. While one week may seem like a short time, the experiences I had and the lessons I learned during the program, continue to have a positive impact throughout my professional career. The program deepened my knowledge about the career opportunities that accounting majors could pursue, such as, Tax Preparation, Consulting, Auditing, Internal Controls and Compliance and Accounting. Before my involvement in the program, I did not have clear insight into the different career paths available to accounting majors. I am currently in a senior role in the Audit and Assurance Practice of a Global 8 firm. While working on a case study during the program, with individuals I did not know, I learned how important it is to listen to others and to understand other people’s perspectives. I also learned how important it is to harness the technical skills that each person possesses to effectively complete a project. Additionally, the various professionals who participated in the program also provided the mentorship and advice that has helped me in my career.” — Past Program Participant
“ASDP was a gift. I learned so much not only through the public speakers, on-site visits to the Big 4 firms, and the exposure to various activities that challenged my thinking and perspective, but I also learned from the people within my cohort. It was hearing their stories while we walked to the cafeteria for breakfast or lunch that was inspiring. During those walks, I realized I wasn’t alone in my journey, and it was comforting to know that others shared similar struggles and experiences on their path to becoming a CPA. Interestingly the interactions didn’t seem like networking, but the program provided a great atmosphere to network. In addition to the cohort, I met and kept in touch with some of the speakers even after six years, which has been invaluable…This program provided the social and cultural capital for me and my peers; it helped us to get up to speed and it equipped us to be able to engage in conversations with accounting professionals. It was a thoughtful and well-rounded schedule of events, activities and exposure which ultimately provided the confidence and self-esteem that I, despite the obstacles, could achieve my goal of being a CPA.” — Past Program Participant
“The Accounting Scholars Development Program (ASDP) at Howard University is an amazing networking and learning platform for underrepresented and minority accounting students from all over the nation’s community colleges. ASDP changed my perspective on a career in Accounting and Finance. A voice in my head told me that getting a job in accounting and finance was out of reach. That voice was wrong… Before attending ASDP, I was debating the idea of continuing my studies after earning my Associate Degree. But by the end of the program, I had made up my mind. I decided to continue my studies at a 4-year college and get a BBA in accounting and later became a CPA. It gave me a map! It was an amazing experience! An eye opener for students from a community College like us. That week helped boost my confidence in my abilities to fulfill my dream as an accounting professional.” — Past Program Participant
College
We're About Success! College Programs
Program Overview
The We're About Success! College Programs are 1-day leadership workshops that go beyond basic professional development skills. Students have the opportunity to learn how to succeed in corporate America through sessions that are designed to enhance their leadership skills and allow them to explore who they are as an individual and understand how to envision success.
We urge all participating students to take advantage of this opportunity that will allow them to network with professionals while obtaining tips on building their brand and further developing leadership skills.
Objectives
By the end of the day, students have:
- Established resources to draw on to help make critical career decisions both entering it and staying
- Identified aspects of organizational culture that could potentially be different from your own, and strategies for overcoming those differences
- Worked through challenging situations in which first year associates may find themselves
- Identified the importance of networking, building support and created practical strategies for doing so when navigating new environments
- Identified your individual and team strengths
- Created the highlights of a 5-year vision
Email caehusb@howard.edu with questions
Professionals
We’re About Success!
Our flagship program — We're About Success! — was the very first leadership skills development program developed by CAE in 2004 and launched in June 2005. Because of the unique challenges young African Americans face when entering the accounting profession, this program offers sessions that will prepare them to successfully confront the rigors of the industry. Our goal is to increase the confidence of young accountants to competently compete and help develop the groundwork they need to maneuver to the top ranks of their firms.
Email caehusb@howard.edu with questions
Community Outreach
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
Under the advisement of CAE's Director and Associate Director, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site has been in operations since 2009. Through the generous support of our program sponsors – Howard University School of Business, Community Tax Aid DC, Code for America, the Internal Revenue Service, and the National Association of Black Accountants Metro DC Chapter – we were able to continue operations this year.
VITA offers free tax help to people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns, including:
- People who generally make $67,000 or less
- Persons with disabilities
- Limited English-speaking taxpayers
This year we offered both in-person and virtual prep services. Additionally, we mobilized a drop off site in Ward 5 of Washington, D.C. every Sunday during the tax season. This allowed clients the ability to drop off documents for scanning and upload to our secure platform to participate in the virtual preparation.
Our volunteers demonstrated their commitment to the program and the services that we provide our low- and moderate-income clients in the community. We certainly could not do what we do without their help. We owe our success to our volunteers!!
We extend a special thank you to the Center for Career Excellence for allowing us continued use of their space for in-person tax preparation.
Other Programs
As part of its community outreach, CAE also offers financial literacy and education programming for residents in DC, MD, and VA. We work with residents to guide them through some important things to consider when they receive their tax refunds to help them make the most of the money they expect to receive. We will also provide separate stand-alone workshops and one-on-one financial coaching. Our offerings help residents:
- Recognize the value of using their refunds to contribute to their short- and long-term savings goals.
- Make decisions about how to use their refunds for spending on "must-haves," saving for the future and spending plans on "nice-to-haves."
- Get connected to resources like U.S. Savings Bonds, College Savings Accounts, additional tax credits like the Saver's Credit, Individual Development Account programs and other financial products.
