Jessica I. Marschall, CPA, September 30th, 2025
Each fall, Virginia’s accounting community converges for an event that both celebrates the profession and charts its future. This year’s 55th Annual Virginia Accounting & Auditing Conference, held at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center in Roanoke, offers practitioners and students alike a unique window into emerging trends in auditing, tax, fraud, technology, and regulatory change. The conference provides CPE credits and encourages face-to-face interaction with leading experts, a rare opportunity to ask pressing questions live and gain real-time insight into the challenges shaping the field.
VSCPA’s Role in Shaping Virginia’s Accounting Profession
VSCPA (Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants) plays a pivotal role in shaping Virginia’s accounting profession. With approximately 12,000 members, VSCPA offers resources spanning continuing professional education, advocacy, career support, and community through local chapters. Through VSCPA’s programs, members gain access to state and national subject matter experts, flexible learning formats (in-person, virtual, on-demand), and governance updates that prepare practitioners for evolving regulatory challenges.
Moreover, VSCPA’s advocacy efforts have catalyzed legislative change, most notably the new CPA pathway in Virginia. Effective January 1, 2026, the Commonwealth will offer alternative routes to licensure. Prospective CPAs can now qualify through one of three pathways:
- A master’s degree with one year of relevant experience;
- A bachelor’s degree with 30 additional credit hours and one year of experience;
- Or a bachelor’s degree with two years of relevant experience. All pathways still require passing the CPA Exam and completing a bachelor’s degree with the required accounting concentration (24 upper-level accounting credits) and business credits (24 hours).
Supporting Students and Emerging Professionals
Beyond its conference and professional development portfolio, VSCPA also empowers students and emerging professionals. The Career Center connects job and internship opportunities throughout Virginia and nationally. The Society supports mentoring programs, promotes awareness of accounting as a dynamic field, and provides student membership at no cost. In local communities, chapters like Roanoke’s help create grassroots engagement and networking opportunities for students, practitioners, and firms alike.
Why Students Should Consider Accounting and the CPA
My own story reflects the breadth and depth that a career in accounting can offer. I began my tax career 26 years ago, first in public accounting, then in internal audit, and ultimately by founding a tax advisory firm. Over time, I expanded to create three additional enterprises built on distinct facets of the Internal Revenue Code. The technical expertise required to master the tax code requires substantial intellectual rigor comparable to STEM disciplines.
What many students may not realize is that this knowledge unlocks opportunities far beyond traditional accounting roles. A skilled CPA can be a strategic advisor, corporate CFO, policy analyst, forensic accountant, or business owner. The discipline sharpens critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and an ability to interpret complex systems, skills that translate broadly across industries. With the flexibility of new licensure pathways and robust support from organizations like VSCPA, now is an opportune moment to encourage students to major in accounting and commit to earning their CPA.
Conference Takeaways and Call to Action
At the Roanoke conference, students and new professionals studied:
- Technical sessions on tax, auditing, fraud, and technology to see where the profession is heading.
- Networking with peers and experts, which can lead to mentorship, internships, and collaborative learning.
- Exposure to VSCPA resources, including continuing education, advocacy updates, and job and internship matching.
- Inspiration from practitioners, whose careers reflect the diversity of paths accessible through deep mastery of accounting and tax.
If you are a student, educator, or parent, I urge you to consider accounting not simply as a major, but as a launchpad to multifaceted careers. And if you are already in practice, bring a student along to the next VSCPA or other accounting/CPA conference. Let them see firsthand that the CPA credential is not a narrow track but a gateway to influence, impact, and innovation in business, government, and our communities.
