NASBA Center For Public Trust 
One of the most significant business strategies and simultaneous ethical dilemmas is diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). Now more than ever, there is a need to educate leaders and organizations on the exponential impact of purposeful efforts to address deficiencies in DEIB. To tackle these issues, the NASBA Center For the Public Trust (CPT) recently launched an HBCU Initiative thanks to the substantial investment of a partner to underwrite the costs of bringing StudentCPT chapters to Historically Black College and University (HBCU) campuses. The new HBCU Initiative seeks to expand the footprint of the StudentCPT on HBCU campuses, to share CPT programming and to expose greater numbers of HBCU students to ethical leadership and the accounting profession.
The partner in this effort believes in the mission of the CPT and knows the impact programming has on student leadership development. They see the HBCU Initiative as an excellent way to engage more minority students in this work and potentially reach a more diverse pool of candidates for employment opportunities with their firm.
Before the HBCU Initiative, the CPT had StudentCPT chapters on the campuses of three HBCUs including Fisk University (Nashville, TN), North Carolina AT&T State University (Greensboro, NC) and the University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, VI). Since the launch of the HBCU Initiative, the CPT has added three additional HBCUs – Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN), Alabama State University (Montgomery, AL) and Jackson State University (Jackson, MS). Additionally, there are six HBCUs across the country in varying stages of new chapter development. The CPT is in discussions with several other HBCUs about the possibility of launching StudentCPT chapters, as well as offering CPT staff to facilitate presentations on ethics and leadership development.
Over the last few years, eight students from four HBCUs have participated in the CPT’s StudentCPT Leadership Conference (SLC). Increased HBCU participation in the SLC will provide students from HBCUs with access to mentors and others who may aid in their career advancement.
It is the goal of the CPT to add 20 HBCUs over the next three years as they continue to expand the footprint of StudentCPT chapters across the country. This initiative gives the CPT a significant opportunity to make a lasting, positive impact on ethical leaders in business and the accounting profession for generations to come.
To find out more about the CPT, StudentCPT chapters, or the HBCU Initiative, please visit www.thecpt.org or email [email protected].
-Sedrik Newbern, Consultant, NASBA Center for the Public Trust