Through the high-impact experience (HIE) mini grant program, faculty are finding new ways to bring hands-on, meaningful learning opportunities to students. The program supports initiatives that elevate existing activities into HIEs, expand access to experiential learning, or create new opportunities that enhance students’ academic journeys.

Mary Newman, a faculty member in accounting, was awarded funding to support an accounting nonprofit practicum. This three-credit course connects students with nonprofit organizations across North Carolina. Through this experience, students apply their classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, helping organizations strengthen their financial management, improve operations, and plan for long-term sustainability.

We spoke with Newman about the inspiration behind the practicum and the impact it aims to make.

What inspired the idea of an accounting nonprofit practicum?

The goal and inspiration of the accounting nonprofit practicum is to support local organizations and to show our students how the skills they develop in the classroom can be used to serve the community and better the world around them.

How does the practicum work?

In the accounting nonprofit practicum, we pair upper-level accounting students with local nonprofits to work together throughout the semester to solve a real organizational challenge. The projects can involve anything within the accounting space.

I work closely with each nonprofit’s leadership to identify a problem that is both meaningful to the organization and realistic for our students to address within a semester.

Students are paired with a nonprofit and work in teams to analyze the data and develop solutions tailored to the organization’s needs. Projects may include anything from analyzing revenue streams to developing standard operating procedures to preparing tax returns to many other accounting-related initiatives.

Each week, I meet with the students to mentor them throughout the process and help them build skills in areas such as critical thinking, project management, client service, and professional communication. At the end of the semester, students present their deliverables and recommendations to the nonprofit’s leadership team.

Accounting is foundational to every organization, and this program allows students to see firsthand how impactful, relevant, and universally applicable their accounting skillset can be. They also have the opportunity to engage with incredible organizations across our state, and I love seeing how the experience expands their sense of community while at NC State.

What need does this high-impact experience fulfill?

There are so many organizations within North Carolina that are doing really good work, but they are often constrained by limited staff, time, and resources. This program allows our students to help fill some of those gaps while also learning directly from leaders within these organizations.

How will the mini grant you received support the practicum?

I believe the investment in this program will have tangible impacts on our students and our community. With the funds from the Poole mini grant, we were able to host an on-campus event for all our students and nonprofits, support transportation needs for students to volunteer at their assigned nonprofit, and offer this practicum to 50% more students in the fall 2026 semester!

With the support of the HIE mini grant, Newman’s accounting nonprofit practicum is creating meaningful connections between students and the communities they serve. By applying their skills in real-world settings, students gain valuable experience while helping organizations across North Carolina strengthen their impact and bringing classroom learning to life in ways that extend far beyond campus.