Get to know the President of NABA,
Joshua Reeves, and his organization! NABA is focused on developing, encouraging and serving as a resource for greater participation by African-Americans and other minorities in the accounting, finance and business professions. They assist minority students in entering the accounting and finance profession by developing professional skills of their members and providing opportunities for members to network and fulfill their civic responsibility. They participate in chapter, regional, and national programs.
Q: Give us a brief summary of your organization.
The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) is an
organization dedicated to bridging the gap of opportunity for people of color
in accounting, finance, and information technology fields. NABA does this
through personal development workshops, professional development workshops,
both regional and national conferences, speakers, training, networking
opportunities, and scholarships. NABA provides opportunities for advancement by
partnering with companies such as EY, KPMG, PwC, Deloitte, Bank of America,
Amazon, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, Walmart, the AICPA, Becker, Goldman Sachs,
Nissan, BDO, the FDIC, Nike, Marriott, Abbot Laboratories, and the PCAOB.
Q: How has your organization helped you grow as a student
and future professional?
NABA has helped me grow as a student by helping me to get
more involved on campus. It has also gotten me more accostumed to public
speaking, networking, and leadership roles. I have also gotten 2 internships
from PwC and 1 internship from KPMG through my involvement with NABA. We all
work really hard to help provide incredible opportunities for students, whether
it be from our speakers or from events such as the regional conference.
Q: What makes your organization special/unique?
Our organization is special in that our membership isn’t
huge so we are able to tailor our focus onto each individual member in order to
help them get what they want out of NABA. We have a more close knit membership
because the people who participate see the same faces at every meeting and
event. We also offer a unique opportunity to participate at Day at Dell, where
students practice going to career fairs, have resume workshops, mock
interviews, and participate in inspirational presentations. The regional
conference is also unique to NABA because not only are students awarded
scholarships at the conference, but they are also awarded with opportunities to
network with students and professionals from the southern and western regions
of the United States. On the very first day of conference, students are able to
participate in a career fair and interview with companies throughout the
conference. There are also amazing presentations at the conference on topics
ranging from how to succeed during an internship to how to live with purpose.
Q: What is something you wish someone would’ve told you
before you started your college journey?
I wish someone would have told me to get involved from the
very beginning. I was so focused on my schoolwork as a freshman that I missed
out on a lot of opportunities to grow as a person and as a future professional.
Being away for college becomes so much easier when you have a support system
near you that understands the changes you’re experiencing. It’s also a great
way to make friends! I encourage everyone to get involved on campus because you
never know what opportunities may be presented to you. I once heard that
opportunities are never missed, they’re just given to someone else.
Q: How can students join your organization?
Students can join NABA by coming to our meetings and paying
their dues. Local dues are $10 per semester and national dues are $35 for 12
months. To view our calendar of events and learn more about us, students can go
to www.txstatenaba.com. I hope to see
a lot of new faces!
