Third-Generation Bulldog Earns National Accounting Honor
Shanks Named PCAOB Scholar, Earns $15,000 Scholarship
Alabama A&M University junior Joshua Shanks has been named a 2026-27 Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Scholar, earning a $15,000 merit-based scholarship and access to professional mentorship as he prepares for a career in accounting and business leadership.
Shanks, an honors accounting major from Montgomery, Alabama, is among 677 students nationwide selected for the PCAOB Scholars Program. Students are nominated by eligible U.S. colleges and universities for the annual scholarship, which supports outstanding students pursuing accounting-related degrees.
“Receiving the PCAOB Scholarship means a great deal to me because it represents more than financial assistance,” Shanks said. “It is an affirmation that the work I am putting into my education and professional development is being recognized.”
Shanks learned of the opportunity after Alabama A&M nominated him for the program and later received word that he had been selected as a PCAOB Scholar.
Established by Congress, the PCAOB oversees the audits of public companies and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission-registered brokers and dealers. Its Scholars Program provides merit-based scholarships to students who demonstrate strong academic achievement and an interest in accounting careers.
In addition to the scholarship, Shanks is participating in the PCAOB Scholars Mentoring Program, which connects scholars with experienced accounting professionals for career guidance and professional development.
The opportunity supports Shanks’ long-term goal of becoming a certified public accountant and eventually a CEO. He also hopes to use his accounting and business expertise to improve financial literacy and expand access to financial knowledge in underserved communities.
“The scholarship will help reduce the financial responsibility associated with completing my degree and allow me to remain focused on my academic and professional development,” Shanks said. “My goal is to graduate from Alabama A&M, become a CPA and continue building the experience necessary to become a business leader and, ultimately, a CEO.”
University Echoes executive board members, from left, Treasurer Joshua Shanks, President Isaiah Taylor and Mr. Echo Trevon Greathouse pose during the organization’s August 2026 executive board photo shoot.
Expected to graduate in May 2028, Shanks has built an academic and leadership résumé that extends across campus and beyond. He is an Alabama A&M University Merit Academic Scholar and a recipient of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund/Deloitte Foundation Accounting Scholarship. He is a member of the AAMU Honors Program and the National Association of Black Accountants and serves as treasurer on the executive board of the University Echoes Student Ambassadors.
Shanks has also gained professional experience as an intern in the Montgomery Mayor’s Office, where he was exposed to local government operations and the professional workplace.
His connection to Alabama A&M began long before he became a student. A third-generation Bulldog, Shanks saw the University as an opportunity to continue a family tradition while building a legacy of his own.
“I chose Alabama A&M because the University offered me an amazing academic scholarship that made pursuing my education more financially attainable,” he said. “I am also a third-generation Bulldog, so attending A&M gave me the opportunity to continue a family legacy while creating a path of my own.”
Shanks credits the Montgomery Alumni Chapter with providing meaningful support throughout his college journey, demonstrating to him how the Bulldog community extends well beyond The Hill.
He is especially appreciative of Dr. Felicia Farrar, CPA, CFE, director of the MBA Program and accounting coordinator in Alabama A&M University’s College of Business and Public Affairs, whom he credits with helping shape his development as an accounting student.
“I am especially grateful to Dr. Farrar for continuously pouring into me, challenging me and creating opportunities for me to grow,” Shanks said. “Her support has played an important role in my development as an accounting student.”
As he looks toward graduation and a career in accounting, Shanks hopes his experience encourages other students to pursue the mentors, organizations and opportunities available to them at Alabama A&M.
“Opportunities like the PCAOB Scholarship remind me why I chose A&M and motivate me to continue representing my university at the highest level,” Shanks said. “I hope my journey also encourages other students to take advantage of the faculty, mentors, organizations and opportunities available to them.”