College Scholarship FAQs

What scholarships are available?

Through member donations and memorial funds, the WICPA Educational Foundation supports a college scholarship program that awards several $3,000 scholarships, including:

LeRoy C. Schmidt 150-Hour Scholarship

The $3,000 LeRoy C. Schmidt 150-Hour Scholarship is named after former WICPA Executive Director LeRoy C. Schmidt, CPA, who was Executive Director from 1990-2006, passionately promoted the accounting profession, and was actively involved in the 150-hour legislative process. Multiple recipients may be selected for this scholarship.

Roger Buchholz Memorial Scholarship

The $3,000 Roger Buchholz Memorial Scholarship honor Roger Buchholz, a deceased member of the Milwaukee Chapter of the Financial Executives Institute and the WICPA, who was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting. Multiple recipients may be selected for this scholarship.

Elizabeth Peters Memorial Scholarship

The $3,000 Elizabeth Peters Memorial Scholarship is named after Elizabeth Peters, CPA, who began her career as a staff accountant with Wipfli, Ulrich & Co. in 1949, at a time when major CPA firms were not hiring women. In 1961, she became the first woman in Wisconsin to be elected as Partner in a CPA firm. This scholarship is exclusive to only one recipient, who, if selected, may also have the opportunity to meet with representatives from Wipfli LLP.

Von Haden Memorial Scholarship

The $3,000 Von Haden Memorial Scholarship is named after Terry Von Haden, CPA, co-founder of the accounting firm of Suby, Von Haden & Associates, S.C. He had a 45-year career that included devoting his life to the CPA profession, his clients and to those he mentored. This scholarship is exclusive to only one recipient selected by the Von Haden family, who, if selected, may also have the opportunity to meet with the family.

What is the application deadline?

Scholarship applications for the 2025-2026 academic year must be submitted by Friday, March 14, 2025.

Can I apply for all four scholarships?

Yes, applicants who meet the application requirements may apply for any or all of the scholarships.

What are the application requirements?

Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, volunteering activities, a personal statement and letters of recommendation. To be eligible, an applicant must:

• Be a resident of Wisconsin and a U.S. citizen.
• Have full-time student status with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at a college or university that has an accounting program that qualifies to sit for the CPA Exam.
• Have completed the first financial accounting course within the accounting major (beyond the courses required for all business majors) with an A or B grade.
• Have completed at least 90 credit hours of a degree program that qualifies to sit for the CPA Exam but not yet completed the 150-hour requirement.
• Be working towards completing the 150-hour requirement and plan to apply for a Wisconsin CPA license.

Does my transcript need to be official?

No, however submitted unofficial transcripts should be from the college or university website and state the student's name.

Who should my letters of recommendation be from?

Two letters of recommendation are required: one from an accounting professor and one from a non-relative.

When are scholarships awarded?

Scholarship recipients will be announced and notified in April, with scholarships distributed to recipients by September.

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