Women, Wealth & Wellness scholarship recipient finds reassurance through professional growth 

By Jessica Barboza, OSCPA marketing and communications intern 

Aunique Blackwell encourages young professionals to be unafraid to ask questions, even if they seem obvious. 

“I think that the big thing is if individuals feel like they have a dumb question, or anything of that nature, they like to skip over it,” Blackwell said. “Don’t be afraid to ask those questions because the individual sitting next to you might have the same exact question.” 

Blackwell recently earned her associates degree from Columbus State Community College and served as a student ambassador during her time there. 

“It was great,” Blackwell said. “It definitely got me exposed to a lot of professionals in the career and when I was able to find a few mentors, especially just being a young professional, it helped me get out of my shell of being shy and talking in front of individuals.” 

Tabling as a student ambassador also allowed Blackwell to introduce younger students to the profession.  

“They all have a plethora of questions, and I was able to answer them because it’s like, ‘I was just in your shoes. I had a thousand and one questions, too,’” Blackwell said. 

Earning a Women, Wealth & Wellness scholarship and getting recognized within the profession means a lot, she said, and provides reassurance that she’s going down the right path. 

“It just felt like you get that moment where you’re like, ‘Okay you’re doing something right,’” Blackwell said. “People are noticing the hard work that you’re putting in to become a professional.” 

Blackwell will be speaking at the Women, Wealth & Wellness virtual conference on July 18 and hopes that attendees are able to receive confidence and reassurance within their professional life that they’re going down the right path. 

Blackwell is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in accounting at Kentucky State University with plans to graduate in December. 

After graduation, she will have reached the 150-credit hour requirement to sit for the CPA exam and will begin working on obtaining her license. Ultimately, she hopes to be a voice for young black professionals and to one day open her own accounting firm.