GovState accounting professors present to state board on diversity
Following a presentation to the Illinois Board of Examiners (ILBOE), Governors State University (GovState) Accounting professors Chevonne Alston (left) and Anton Lewis (right) are taking their message on the road in the Southland.
"The accounting profession should be introduced to students long before college along with discussions of financial literacy and wellness for students,” said Dr. Chevonne Alston, who presented earlier this year with Dr. Anton Lewis to the ILBOE, a state-wide agency whose mission is to protect interests by examining and certifying candidates who meet requirements for licensure in Illinois.
Alston and Lewis, along with Lauren Rukasuwan from Butler University presented, "What Can the Profession Do?" which explores changes needed in messaging, the classroom, and institutional practices to answer their question about racial equity. The paper was published in the CPA Journal in 2023.
Alston said the presentation to ILBOE opened the door for more presentations.
“The Executive Director, Carla Ratchford, contacted us for an opportunity to collaborate in bringing financial literacy components to students in the Chicagoland suburbs,” said Alston, who counts financial literacy as a passion project.
The group is considering other endeavors, too.
“Our next academic research paper will look at the Black neurodiverse accounting experience in the U.S. using the theoretical lens of Disability Critical Race Theory,” said Lewis.
Meanwhile, Alston will speak on a faculty panel at the IMA Student Leadership Conference this month.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to work with faculty from other universities along with the IMA staff to present information to faculty regarding the accounting pipeline, engagement strategies, and integration of analytics,” said Alston.