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Susan Harkins, a Master of Accountancy student at the University of North Georgia (°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾), has received a from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Up to five Carey scholarships are awarded each year.

The $5,000 award aims "to encourage students with little or no previous accounting education" to pursue such careers. Harkins, who previously worked as an educator, began taking undergraduate accounting classes at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ in fall 2018 to meet prerequisites for the accounting master's program.

"I love numbers, solving problems and helping people," said Harkins, who is a bookkeeper for her family's business and wants to become a CPA.

Harkins worked an internship during spring 2020 at BatesCarter, a CPA firm based in Gainesville, Georgia. She also earned a Julius M. Johnson Memorial Scholarship from the .

Harkins earned a Bachelor of Science in middle grades education from °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ in 1994 and a master's degree in education from °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾ in 1996.

"Susan already has the 150 hours necessary to be licensed as a CPA and can complete the remaining required accounting courses without a master's degree," said Dr. J. Kent Poff, a CPA and associate professor of accounting at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹Ù·½ÍøÕ¾, in his recommendation letter for Harkins. "However, she is choosing to obtain the Master of Accountancy to improve her professionalism and has already purchased a CPA review course."