Why I Want to Pursue an Accounting Career

Growing up in Elk City, Luke Zybach watched his dad build a trusted accounting firm from the ground up. In his scholarship application essay, he shared with us how he hopes to carry that work forward and one day take over the business himself. 

Western Oklahoma needs more accountants.

Western Oklahoma needs more accountants. There are not enough CPAs to meet the
needs of the many businesses and people. Every year, businesses and people lose tens of
thousands of dollars because of the shortage of payroll and tax professionals. My goal is to solve this problem.

My dad founded his own accounting office in Elk City when I was very young. The
business grew faster than my dad could keep up. He has resorted to turning new clients away and raising prices simply because he doesn’t have the time, space, or employees to offer his services.

He struggles to find new young accountants who want to live in western Oklahoma. Many of his current employees will retire soon. If I can earn my CPA, my dad will not only have a young
CPA, but also, I might be able to pull some talent along with me.

History has shown that younger generations are typically more in step with new
technology. AI continues to grow and affect our daily lives, and the accounting world is no
exception. While I earn my degree, I want to learn how AI can make accounting more efficient.
My dad’s office would be the perfect sandbox for this. I can implement any programs I find or
ideas I have at his office. My mission is to use AI to fix the accounting issue, saving the residents of western Oklahoma thousands of dollars.

About Luke

Luke Zybach is a high school senior who’s just as dedicated to his studies as he is to his community. He's also a National Merit Finalist, valedictorian, two-time state champion Academic Team captain, and captain of the football and basketball teams. When he’s not competing or volunteering through his church and SERVE Society, Luke works at his dad’s accounting firm, Zybach & Fairchild CPAs, PLLC, gaining hands-on experience with bookkeeping and tax prep.