The Critical Role of Practitioners in Inspiring Future Accountants

A Collaborative Project to Attract Students to the Profession

Kaitlin M. Newkirk, , CPA, MAcc, MST, and Andrea B. Weickgenannt, , CPA, DBA

In BriefIn recent years, declining enrollment in accounting programs has made attracting more high-achieving students into the major and then into the professional pipeline a matter of critical importance. To that end, the authors have developed a project to bring practitioners into the classroom where students can get to know them, understand their skills and experiences, and be inspired by all that an accounting career offers. The authors' experience has indicated that these encounters with practitioners leave a lasting impression on students and can lead more young people into the accounting major and profession.