A profession hungry for good news on the talent front found plenty of inspiration on Nov. 20 as 45 of Maryland’s newest CPAs were sworn into the profession as part of the Maryland Association of CPAs’ annual Newly Licensed CPA Swearing-In Ceremony, sponsored by the MACPA Foundation.

Held at the Maryland Live! Casino and Hotel in Hanover, Md., the event brought together newly licensed professionals who became CPAs during the past year to take an oath that reaffirms their commitment to their clients, their profession, the state of Maryland, and the publics they serve. The oath reads:

I solemnly swear that I will assume the responsibilities and obligations as a certified public accountant in the state of Maryland and in the United States of America.

I will support the laws and regulations and perform my professional duties to the best of my ability in an ethical, professional, and objective manner.

As a CPA, I will uphold the honor and dignity of the accounting profession and abide by the rules of professional conduct.

While the oath is strictly ceremonial, the presence of new CPAs at the event is evidence of their dedication to the future of the profession, and the ceremony itself plays an important role in a CPA's early career in a couple of key ways:

• Not only does the ceremony give new CPAs and their families an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments, but it forces those attending to actually verbalize their commitment to serving the public. Passing the exam and earning your license is one thing. Standing in front of state and federal regulators, raising your right hand and promising to do the right thing is a much more powerful step, and one the new CPAs will remember when faced with professionally and morally difficult decisions.
  
  
• When you talk to the new CPAs, you quickly realize how much the event means to them. Previous “Swearing-In” participants have called the event “the exclamation point” on their years of studying and exam preparation, and “the most important experience” of their lives.

The dignitaries in attendance urged Maryland’s newest CPAs to build on the excitement of the event by saying “yes” to the many opportunities that being a CPA provides — and to pay it forward by finding the purpose behind their work and serving others.

“Say ‘yes’ to giving back, to continuing to invest in yourself, to finding the purpose behind your work, to being a part of this profession, and to leaving the profession better than you found it,” MACPA Board Chair and Prime Therapeutics Assistant Controller Thomas White, CPA, CGMA, told the new CPAs. “This profession has given me so much, and my purpose is to give back just a little bit more than what it’s given me. As you springboard into your next chapter as a CPA, remember to say ‘yes’ as often as you can.”

“Earning those three powerful letters — CPA — demonstrates your commitment to excellence, integrity, and service,” added MACPA President and CEO Rebekah Olson, CPA. “As you begin this exciting chapter, I encourage you to reflect on your why — your CPA purpose. What impact do you want to make? How will you contribute to this community and the next generation?”

Jan Williams, Ph.D., CPA, chair of the Maryland State Board of Public Accountancy and Lockheed Martin Professor of Accounting at University of Baltimore, told the new CPAs that their that purpose includes the critical role CPAs play in ensuring the financial and economic viability of their clients, their communities, and the nation at large.

“You are now part of a community of accounting professionals who play a vital role in ensuring the financial health and transparency of businesses and organizations,” Williams said. “You are now a trusted advisor, a gatekeeper, a guardian of financial information. Your role impacts the economic landscape because without CPAs, there is no economy.”

The oath was administered by Sarah McDermott, assistant commissioner for Occupational and Professional Licensing at the Maryland Department of Labor.

The Swearing-In Ceremony was made possible by the MACPA Foundation.