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Winter 2018
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THE EFFECT
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The CPA Education Foundation
Newsletter
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The Effect connects donors and supporters
with information and news from the CPA Education Foundation. To learn more about the Foundation and its activities, click below:
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Intro
duct
ion
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To learn more about the Foundation and its activities:
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The CPA Education Foundation positively impacts accounting education opportunities and those who inspire and develop future Alberta CPAs.
Led by a Board of Governors of dedicated designated accountants from around Alberta, the Foundation promotes the accounting profession by providing support to post-secondary institutions, students, accounting educators and special projects.
This issue of the Effect details the work of the CPA Education Foundation throughout 2017.
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Rachel Miller
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FCPA, FCA
Executive Director
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As we look back at 2017, the Foundation has many milestones to be proud of. We have helped some courageous students advance their educations, some which you will read about in this e-newsletter. We have had another successful year of fundraising for the No Limits initiative, getting us closer to our goal.We have welcomed new board members, been more in touch with our donors than ever before, and have reignited the financial literacy discussion in Alberta.
As we charge forward, ambitions are high. We will be working to complete our No Limits initiative to encourage and support Indigenous Albertans seeking careers in business and accounting. We will be expanding the number and scope of awards for deserving Alberta students and consider new innovative ways to support research that advances our goals. We will strengthen the profession’s partnerships with post-secondary business faculties throughout the province. And, we will represent the very best of what the CPA profession stands for – integrity, high standards, and commitment to the community.
I look forward to working to advance the goals of the Foundation in strengthening the quality of, and access to, accounting education
in Alberta.
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In September 2017, the CPA Education Foundation reignited efforts to raise funds for the No limits initiative.
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The goal of No Limits is to create career paths for Indigenous Albertans in accounting and business.
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So far, the funds raised for No Limits have allowed us to do some incredible things. These include the creation of six new scholarships for Indigenous Albertans, the development of partnerships with key indigenous groups including the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Alberta (AFOA Alberta), and connecting the CPA profession with Indigenous communities.
It is our hope that additional scholarships, partnerships and progress will create opportunities for more Indigenous Albertans to pursue careers in business and accounting. The work of the Foundation is far from complete. In the coming year, we hope to achieve a number of goals for the No Limits initiative, including:
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Growing the number of financial awards we can offer for Indigenous students;
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Co-hosting a conference for Indigenous post-secondary students, in partnership with the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Alberta and others;
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Working with Indigenous connections the Foundation has formed to create resources that help increase awareness of careers in business and accounting.
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We are now nearing the end of our fundraising initiative and are currently just over 90% of the way to our goal. We want to thank all of our previous donors for helping us get this far, and urge potential donors to take up this cause.
Future CPAs are counting on you.
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You may make your donation by mail, phone (1‑800‑232‑9406), or online:
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Thank you from the CPA Education Foundation.
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Janice Auger
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Alex Tutschek
FCPA, FCA Award
for Mature Indigenous
Students Recipient
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Janice Auger is the 2017 recipient of the Alex Tutschek FCPA, FCA Award for Mature Indigenous Students. She is one of many who is already benefiting from the No Limits initiative and the Foundation hopes to see many more like Janice in the future!
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The CPA Education Foundation's support means they believe in me and know they can make a difference in the lives of students.
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— Janice Auger
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Maria Burke
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Douglas R.
Hagerman FCA
Entrance
Scholarship Recipient
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Along her journey she was faced with the emotional dilemma of no longer solely being a stay-at-home-mom. She knew she had a passion for accounting and that she was good at it, but she also wanted to be a mother. In the past, people had told her that she couldn’t have both a successful career and time for her family. Maria knew that she possessed the dedication and drive to do both, and be great at both. She wrote down her ambitious plan on paper, told herself that the investment to receive a CPA designation was an investment in herself, and by 2016, she was back in university full‑time.
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She is very grateful and honoured to have received the Douglas R. Hagerman FCA Entrance Scholarship and encourages others who are considering pursuing a CPA designation to apply for CPA Education Foundation scholarships.
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It is an amazing investment for your future and you will be part of a community that values everyone.
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— Maria Burke
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Dr. Sherif Elbarrad
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PHD, CPA, CMA
MacEwan University
Department Chair,
Accounting & Finance
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It is our shared goal to ensure students receive the highest quality of accounting and business education. Foundation funding is strengthening accounting education in many different ways across Alberta.
One of the successful projects underway is led by Dr. Sherif Elbarrad at MacEwan University. His funded work focuses on using animation and gamification in teaching principles of accounting to undergraduate students.
Dr. Elbarrad tells us that students usually struggle with understanding financial accounting concepts, making the introductory accounting course one of the most challenging courses for many business students. Therefore Dr. Elbarrad identifies a need for new instructional approaches in which students become active participants in the learning process. So what better way to make students active participants, than to put them in charge of their own accounting game?
The project was divided into phases. The first phase is developing a website that hosts educational materials, such as short tutorial videos, other learning tools and a game. The website will allow students to understand the basic concepts of accounting through different approaches to satisfy different students’ learning styles.
The development of these innovations in learning would not be possible without the CPA Education Foundation’s post-secondary grant program. We look forward to charting the progress and success of Dr. Elbarrad’s exciting educational endeavor.
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The CPA Education Foundation was proud to re-launch the financial literacy site, The Money Project, during financial literacy month back in November. The site is chock-full of helpful resources for parents and their children to learn all they need to know about being money-smart.
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The website helps shed light on common money mistakes and how to correct behaviours. There is so much to learn about financial literacy and the CPA Education Foundation is proud to be taking strides towards educating Albertans on how to be money-smart.
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Visit the new site now to learn more and get to know your dough:
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Welcoming new
members of the board
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Brian
Banderk
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CPA, CA
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Stephen Bergstrom
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CPA, CMA
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The CPA Education Foundation extends a warm welcome to our two newest members of the board, Brian Banderk CPA, CA and Stephen Bergstrom CPA, CMA.
The two began their terms in 2017 and we know they will be committed to the Foundation’s vision of fostering learning excellence for future
Alberta CPAs.
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David Bentley FCPA, FCA and Janet Bentley have embodied the positive attributes of our most exemplary citizens: they have been pillars of support and generosity in both the profession and the community. In their philanthropic and professional efforts, the Bentleys’ work ethic, generosity, and ambition show others what it means to be a positive influence in the community and an inspiration to both current and future members of the CPA profession. The Foundation thanks the Bentleys for their lengthy record of generous commitment to accounting education in our province.
This award is presented annually by the Foundation to an individual (or individuals) whose service to the Foundation and its goals has had a substantial impact on accounting education in Alberta.
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Donor
Wall
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The lists include
donors from 2012 - November 30, 2017.
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Donors are very important to the CPA Education Foundation. Without their generosity, the Foundation could not positively impact accounting education and engage with those who inspire and develop future Alberta CPAs.
We recently unveiled our virtual thank you wall in their honour:
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Want to join this exclusive group of generous givers?
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Dawn Goulet- Soetaert
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CPA, CA, CMA
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As accountants we recognize that financial stability of any kind enables other healing to happen…we need to enable our Indigenous population to heal itself. We will be a much better society for it.
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— Dawn Goulet-Soetaert
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Dawn was drawn to accounting at a young age. Her interest was piqued in a bookkeeping class in high school and from then on, she was hooked. She currently works at Hawkings Tinney LLP, lives on a farm with her husband, and enjoys the outdoors and birdwatching.
The Foundation thanks Dawn and all of our donors for their contributions and commitment to accounting education in Alberta. None of our work would be possible without your support.
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Dwaine
Grynke
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CPA, CA
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It just hit home for me. There is not just one reason that I can pinpoint, but many that contributed to my donations. The Indigenous community is a key group that we work with at MNP, so I see different sides of the cultural tensions - first hand and in the media. I feel this is a really good step in the right direction to assist with education and to see more diversity in our boardrooms.
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— Dwaine Grynke
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Dwaine lives in Sherwood Park with his wife and two young children, aged five and eight. When he’s not enjoying sports, he's shuttling his two young ones around between dance and skating lessons.
The Foundation extends a warm thank you to Dwaine and all of our donors for their contributions to improving education in Alberta for all.
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Don’t wait for our annual Effect Newsletter, find out what the Foundation is up to year round in our
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