From bussing tables in a restaurant and carrying golf bags in Omaha to leading 90,000 employees across 143 countries in a global audit organization that generates more than $13 billion in revenue, my journey in the accounting profession has been anything but typical. Yet, as I stand today as global head of audit for KPMG International, I can’t help but wonder: How many potential leaders is the profession missing out on?

The accounting profession stands at a crossroads. We need to ensure we have highly skilled professionals, specifically CPAs, to perform high-quality audits and unlock further capabilities that will define the profession in years to come. At the same time, we are also focused on making long-term investments throughout the talent pipeline to attract more people to accounting careers, including opening doors for those who’ve been historically underrepresented.

My own story is testament to the transformative power of targeted support for students who will help to expand the profession. Four decades ago, I was just another working-class kid in North Omaha, juggling full-time work with my studies. Like many others from my neighborhood, I was unsure about what the future held. Today, I’m proof that with the right support, anyone can rise to the top of our field.

As we navigate this pivotal moment in our profession, one thing is clear: The future of accounting depends on our ability to nurture diverse talent. It’s time to reimagine how we attract, support, and develop the next generation of accountants. Here’s how we can turn a potential crisis into an opportunity for profound, positive change.

Humble Beginnings

Growing up, my dad worked as a route delivery truck driver and my mom worked in the Omaha Public Schools system. While neither had college degrees, they made sure my siblings and I knew that foregoing a college degree was not an option. But it was clear that none of us could afford to attend school without significant assistance and financial aid.

Like many students who come from similar backgrounds, I worked long hours while attending the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), scheduling classes around work schedules and taking advantage of summer school and night classes. While a variety of jobs helped pay for living expenses and other essentials, it was not enough to cover all the costs of attending college. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to receive assistance from what proved to be a career lifeline, the UNO Goodrich Scholarship Program.

A Critical Lifeline

The Goodrich Scholarship Program was established in 1972 by Nebraska Sen. Glen Goodrich to provide tuition assistance to high-achieving, first-generation students from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds. Besides financial benefit, the program also offered robust support services, which I heavily leaned on.

I relied on the Goodrich program for mentorship and providing a support system that was remarkable for the young student I was at the time. I developed close relationships with professors who helped me navigate academia and determine next steps, and I even received small, emergency cash advances for books before the check from the annual Pell Grant came in.

A unique component of the Goodrich program is it requires students to complete a two-year humanities and social sciences curriculum that emphasizes cultural and intellectual diversity. While unusual for an accounting major, these courses became some of my favorites, providing valuable perspective and shaping my thinking on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion to this day. Today, I support a variety of philanthropic causes that are devoted to first-generation college students, students of color, and those from diverse backgrounds.

Laying the Foundation

Giving back to the community is a priority for me, which is why I continue to support students in need with funds for textbooks and summer school courses that are not covered by the state-funded scholarship. I also recently established an endowed professorship, to contribute to the long-term sustainability of the Goodrich program.

Beyond a successful career, one of the most important things a scholarship program like Goodrich provides students is the chance to break the cycle of poverty. There’s no question that having scholarship support to allow students to achieve a college degree is critical to making that a possibility.

My journey from a working-class background to a global leadership position at KPMG is just one example of how targeted support during college years can transform lives and strengthen the accounting profession.

A Call to Action

As we face the challenges of declining accounting graduate numbers and an evolving professional landscape, it’s crucial that both the accounting profession and educational institutions take decisive action.

Accounting firms must look beyond traditional recruitment methods and invest in long-term solutions. This could involve partnering with universities to create scholarship programs similar to Goodrich or developing internship opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds, such as the KPMG Empower High School Experience program.

Educational institutions, for their part, need to reimagine their accounting curricula to ensure access and equity in the student body. This might include integrating more interdisciplinary elements, as the Goodrich program does with its humanities requirement, to showcase the breadth of skills and knowledge relevant to modern accounting. Universities should also work to make accounting programs more accessible, perhaps by offering more flexible study options or additional support for first-generation college students.

Moreover, accounting education should align with the rapidly evolving needs of the profession. This could involve co-developing courses that focus on areas like AI, data analytics, or sustainability reporting.

The investment in these initiatives may seem significant, but the return—a robust, diverse, and well-prepared accounting workforce—is invaluable. As my own journey demonstrates, providing opportunities to those who might otherwise be excluded from the profession can yield remarkable results, benefiting not just individuals but the entire field of accounting.

By working together to open doors and provide support, we can ensure a bright and diverse future for the accounting profession and ensure a fully stocked talent pipeline.