“Awarding scholarships to high achievers working hard toward their accounting degree is the highlight of our year,” said Hector E. Aguililla (MACC ’03, BACC ’01), president of the Cuban-American Certified Public Accountant Association (CACPA) at the organization’s 2012 Scholarship Night awards dinner on January 24, 2012.
For the first time in the event’s 15-year history, the dinner and awards ceremony, sponsored by Mallah Furman, was held at the College of Business Administration at Florida International University (FIU). It was preceded by a Continuing Professional Educational seminar for association members.
Aguililla, a CPA with Berkowitz Dick Pollack & Brant, in Miami, expressed pride and gratitude at being at FIU.
“FIU’s Accounting Department, with its very strict entrance requirements, has a tradition of producing excellent accountants, many of them from minority populations,” he said. “FIU students are always among our award winners so we enjoyed having our event at this important university.”
Eighty people attended as CACPA presented a total of $15,000 in scholarship money. FIU accounting students Carlos Eduardo Garcell and Eduardo Pernia were among the nine recipients.
“Receiving this scholarship provides me with the financial means I need to complete my degree,” said Garcell, a senior. “Without it, I would have difficulty.”
“Over the years, CACPA has been instrumental in helping many FIU accounting students continue their education,” said Ruth Ann McEwen, director, School of Accounting, who served as keynote speaker. “The faculty, staff and students of the School of Accounting join me in saluting the excellent way this organization helps ensure that worthy students have the resources they need.”
CACPA scholarships are open to all accounting students enrolled in a university in South Florida; a student’s GPA, essay answers and other criteria are used to determine the scholarship awards.
CACPA continues a tradition, builds a legacy.
Garcell expressed a high opinion of the CACPA and plans to join the organization.
“The group is a great way to network with other Cuban Americans with similar aspirations and goals as mine,” he said. “It would provide me the possibility of having mentors who can teach me from their experience.”
