Becker Professional Education, a subsidiary of DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV),
today announced a partnership with the Howard University School of
Business Center for Accounting Education (CAE).
The partnership gives recent African-American college graduates who plan
to take the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) Exam access to Becker’s
world-class test preparation programs including FastPassTM,
an intensive course designed to help students prepare for the CPA Exam
in a shortened timeframe. FastPass contains the same content as Becker’s
standard CPA Exam Review course, but students prepare for the exam in a
matter of weeks instead of months. As part of the Howard program each
participant is matched with a mentor who recently passed the CPA Exam.
“This partnership demonstrates Becker’s commitment to growing the number
of African-American CPAs in this country,” said Tom Vucinic, president
of Becker Professional Education. “We couldn’t ask for a more committed
or respected partner for this program. Working closely with Howard’s
Center for Accounting Education, our goal is to further diversify the
profession and provide increased opportunities for minority students in
the future.”
“Recent statistics show that only one percent of all CPAs are
African-American,” said Frank K. Ross, director of the Center for
Accounting Education. “Howard’s accounting program graduates the largest
number of African-American CPAs nationally each year. Partnerships such
as this one with Becker are crucial to our mission because they help
African-American accounting students to better prepare and earn their
CPA credential as early in their careers as possible.”
“When I first heard about the Center for Accounting Education hosting
the Becker FastPass program at my alma mater, Howard University, I knew
it was just what I needed,” said Natasha Boler. “I encourage all
eligible CPA exam candidates to utilize this program. The preparation
and encouragement I received from the program’s instructors brought me
confidence walking into the exam. I am very appreciative of the CAE for
hosting this program and of Becker for the outstanding job it does in
preparing CPA candidates.”
As a result of this partnership, Becker becomes a stakeholder in the
Center for Accounting Education and will participate in various
programs, seminars and workshops sponsored by CAE. Other CAE
stakeholders include, but are not limited to, the Big Four accounting
firms, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
and National Association of Black Accountants, Inc.
