The legacy of dedicated volunteer Jimmie Smith lives on as the Campus Influencers program he started in 2016 continues to reach students on college campuses across the United States.
The program began with a handful of volunteers as a way to connect with college students about IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants), the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) certification, and careers in management accounting. Although Smith passed away in 2019, the program he helped launch is thriving.
Since the program’s inception, Campus Influencers have made nearly 750 presentations and reached more than 26,000 students. In 2022 alone, Influencers made presentations to more than 4,500 students, the most in program history.
Currently, more than 370 volunteers are part of the Campus Influencers program. The following seven are “Superstars,” having made at least three campus visits during the 2022 academic year:
Scott Berry, CPA
Jennifer Cargo, CMA, CSCA
Joe Fangman, CMA
Derek Fuzzell, CMA, CSCA, CPA
Ed Imparato, CMA
Michael Lovelace, CMA, CPA, CISA
Peter VanderHeide, CMA, CPA, CFE
The program seeks two kinds of volunteers: (1) those who identify schools and universities and contact accounting professors and accounting department chairs, and (2) those who make presentations to accounting classes and student clubs. A Campus Influencer can fill just one of those roles or both.
Speakers are provided with all the resources they need to succeed, including a detailed, scripted presentation; supporting documents; and marketing materials. IMA also conducts training sessions for all Campus Influencers to ensure those joining the program are comfortable in their new role.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a Campus Influencer, contact campusinfluencers@imanet.org for more information.
August 2023
