The field of accounting has been identified as one of the fastest growing professions according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. Yet studies have shown that there has been declining enrollment in accounting and finance among minority students.
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To support interest in these career fields, a $1 million gift to Point Park University's School of Business has been given to:
- Establish the George Rowland White Endowed Professor of Accounting and Finance to encourage education and careers in accounting and finance, particularly among young minority students; and
- Fund the Urban Accounting Initiative, an effort to increase awareness of careers in accounting and finance among minority youth.
The gift comes from longtime Point Park benefactors George and Kathleen White, who are committed to the economic and cultural vitality of the Pittsburgh region and the Point Park campus.
Collaboration with Manchester Academic Charter School
One of the first projects of the Urban Accounting Initiative is a University collaboration with the Manchester Academic Charter School in which middle school-age students explore the fields of accounting and finance through programming, special events and mentorship. The project includes but is not limited to:
- Career exploration sessions for students, teachers and parents including a tour of Point Park's campus;
- "Business-Bound" summer camps for students entering seventh grade who have participated in the career exploration sessions; and
- Reduced tuition scholarships for members of the Manchester Academic Charter School community who are interested in pursuing certificate or degree programs at Point Park University and who meet the University's admissions requirements.
This project is led by educator and civic leader Herman L. Reid Jr., Ed.D., director of academic and economic development at Point Park. Reid served for three decades as the executive director of the Negro Educational Emergency Fund in Pittsburgh.
Learn more
For more information about the Urban Accounting Initiative, contact Herman L. Reid, Jr., Ed.D., at 412-392-8175 or hreid@pointpark.edu.
Video: Be Inspired to Make an Impact
The Urban Accounting Initiative focuses on accounting as a career path, and also encourages middle school students to think about their future, set a goal of earning a college degree, and give back to improve their communities.
The following video, created by the tech company Grasshopper, depicts the idea that one person really can make a difference by taking the initiative, as entrepreneurs do, to make the world a better place.