What scholarships are available?
The WICPA Educational Foundation provides scholarships from member donations and from the following memorial funds: the LeRoy C. Schmidt 150-Hour Scholarships, the Elizabeth Peters Memorial Scholarship, the Von Haden Memorial Scholarship and the Roger Buchholz Memorial Scholarships.
The LeRoy C. Schmidt 150-Hour Scholarships are 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.
The 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. One recipient will be selected for this scholarship.
The 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. One recipient will be selected for this scholarship.
The Roger Buchholz Memorial Scholarships honor Roger Buchholz, a deceased member of the Milwaukee Chapter of the Financial Executives Institute and WICPA, who was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting. Multiple recipients may be selected for this scholarship.
What is the difference between the scholarships?
The LeRoy C. Schmidt 150-Hour Scholarship of $3,000 will be awarded to multiple qualified applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and demonstrate academic achievement, volunteering activities, and provide supporting documentation via a personal statement and letters of recommendation. Additionally, multiple recipients may be selected for this scholarship whereas only one recipient will be chosen for each of the other two scholarships.
The $3,000 Elizabeth Peters Memorial Scholarship has the same criteria as the LeRoy C. Schmidt 150-Hour Scholarship, but is exclusive to only one recipient, who, if selected, may also have the opportunity to meet with representatives from Wipfli LLP.
The $3,000 Von Haden Memorial Scholarship has the same criteria as the LeRoy C. Schmidt 150-Hour Scholarship, but 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.
The Roger Buchholz Memorial Scholarship of $3,000 will be awarded to multiple qualified applicants and has the same criteria as the LeRoy C. Schmidt 150-Hour Scholarship.
Can I apply for all four scholarships?
Yes, applicants who meet the application criteria may apply for all of the scholarships.
When is the application period?
Scholarship applications for the 2025-2026 academic year will be accepted until March 7, 2025.
What are the education requirements to apply?
Scholarships are awarded to qualified accounting students who: 1) are a resident of Wisconsin and a U.S. citizen; 2) have full-time student status with a GPA of 3.0 or higher at a college or university with an accounting program that qualifies to sit for the CPA Exam; 3) 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; 4) have completed at least 90 credit hours of a degree program that qualifies the applicant to sit for the CPA Exam but have not yet completed the 150-hour requirement; 5) are working towards the 150-hour requirement; and 6) plan to apply for a Wisconsin CPA license.
Do my college transcripts need to be official?
No, however submitted transcripts should be printed from the college or university website and state the student's name.
How many letters of recommendation do I need?
Two recommendation letters are needed: one from an accounting professor and one from a non-relative.
When are the scholarships awarded?
Scholarship recipients will be announced and notified in April, with scholarships distributed to recipients by September.
How are scholarships funded?
Scholarships are funded through the WICPA Educational Foundation's activities. Scholarships would not be possible without the donations and volunteer time of WICPA members and others who share in supporting the future of the profession.