Georgia State’s Beta Alpha Psi has big plans this year to make a difference internationally.
This year and for the first time ever, they have joined forces with a non-profit organization called Imbako Public Health to help them raise money for Kenyan women trying to go to college.
Imbako Public Health identifies Kenyan women that have been accepted into college but cannot afford to attend. Imbako then receives scholarship money fundraised by Beta Alpha Psi’s Global Impact project.
Through events like Pass the Torch, a 5K/10K race that is held in the fall and an elevator pitch competition held in the spring, the Global Impact Project has helped raise enough money to send 13 Kenyan women to college.
“We have had two girls graduate. We are getting ready for next year when we will fund an additional two to three girls to go to school,” Allison Jacobs, associate Director of Beta Alpha Psi, said.
Beta Alpha Psi is an honorary organization for Financial Information students and professionals. The primary objective of Beta Alpha Psi is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field, according to their website.
Bea Alpha Psi has also partnered with Tau Alpha Chi, the founding chapter of Georgia State’s School of Accountancy, to not only help run a boot camp preparing anyone entering the accounting and taxing field, but also, to raise money.
“Each member donates 100 dollars towards the cause each semester,” she said. “In total, we’ve raised $90 million that we’ve been able to disperse out.”
Starting this past month, students were able to attend a general information session with an accounting panel where they learned several types of public accounting concentrations like the tax, audit and advisory.
Besides helping students prepare for the semester, the four-day camp encourages students to submit an accounting pitch for the Global Impact Project in which a panel of judges picks a winner.
The winner then receives a prize, with the rest of the proceeds going towards the Global Impact Project.
Wednesday, the students spent two hours having their resumes reviewed by 40 professionals from different firms in Atlanta and spend the next day learning about networking tips at a mock career fair.
“This boot camp has been very helpful in regards to which accounting field I would like to go into,” junior Alyssa Wheeler said.
If you would like to help you can donate money by going to Beta Alpha Psi’s Global Impact Project website www.bapgsu.com/global-impact-project, or sign up for their third annual Pass the Torch 5K/10K that will be held at 9:00 a.m. on October 19 at Grant Park.
