The FIU Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA FIU) won the Southern Region Outstanding Chapter of the Year award at the organization’s 2020 convention, “Insight Reimagined,” which was held virtually July 8 – 9, 2020.
In 2018, a dozen business students re-launched NABA’s dormant FIU Business chapter to create a support network for business students of color. School of Accounting professor Antoinette Smith became the group’s faculty advisor.
“This is a well-deserved recognition for the hard work of NABA FIU members and Antoinette Smith, their dedicated faculty advisor,” said Joanne Li, dean of FIU Business. “I am so proud of the commitment and drive of our students, who have achieved so much within such a short period of time.”
Today, under Smith’s leadership, the chapter is thriving, with several dozen members that maintain a vigorous schedule, including speakers from Big Four firms, LinkedIn profile critique sessions, leadership symposiums, career preparedness workshops and national and regional conferences.
Founded in 1969, when less than 1 percent of all certified public accountants in the U.S. were black, NABA works to bridge the opportunity gap of black accounting and finance professionals. Now, the organization has over a 100 professional and student chapters who provide leadership, career opportunities, technical training and networking.
NABA has provided more than $11 million in scholarship funds to deserving students at U.S. universities and colleges that are preparing to enter various accounting, finance and business professions. Its motto: Lifting As We Climb.
