SC State Accounting Program gets $30,000 award for tech infrastructure

The award is given to accounting programs at minority serving institutions to assist accounting departments with technology and technology-related improvements that will help enhance the learning experience for students who will graduate with a degree in accounting or related field and continue on to become a certified public accountant.

The funds will be used to establish an accounting resource lab in the College of Business that will include both hardware and software.

Joseph Onyeocha, SC State associate professor of accounting/program coordinator, serves as the project director. He also is a CPA.

“This is fantastic news,” Onyeocha said. “This award will provide more opportunity for students to practice and enhance their technology skills. It feeds into our CPA Project, which was started two years ago to increase the pipeline of minority students for a career in public accounting and become a CPA.

“In addition to providing students with memberships in professional accounting organizations such as the AICPA, we have also provided resources for coaching materials for the CPA Exam and developed relationships with the major accounting firms to provide internships,” he said.

Dr. Barbara Adams, dean of the College of Business and chair of the accounting department, also is a CPA and is excited about the opportunity this brings to students.

“African Americans are the most underrepresented group in the accounting profession,” Adams said. “Less than 3% of African Americans are CPAs and that has not changed in more than 50 years.

“This award along with the PricewaterhouseCoopers digital skills award received earlier in 2021 will ensure that South Carolina State University will prepare and position accounting students to add to the pipeline of minority CPAs,” she said.