Worcester, Mass. — Joseph J. Issa, son of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Issa of 54 Barbican Road, Kingston, Jamaica, at the age of 22, is the youngest Jamaican to pass all four parts of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) national examination in the first sitting.
The CPA examination is one of the most difficult professional examinations in the United States, with only 8-10 per cent of the candidates passing all four parts in their first sitting.
The highest ranking economics/accounting major, Issa received the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants award as the most outstanding junior accounting student while at Holy Cross.
Elected to the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honour society last year, Issa is also a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honour society which elects students on the basis of outstanding ability in economics.
He was named a Dama scholar in 1988, which recognizes outstanding intellectual competence, good character and leadership. As an honours student, his honours thesis analyzed the “boom bust” cycle inherent in the Caribbean tourist industry.
Issa spent his junior year at the London School of Economics where he spearheaded the fund-raising programme, “Educate the Children.” This programme raises money to purchase books for school children in Jamaica and other Caribbean islands. The project raised some US$4,500 in its first year, which helped to purchase over 13,000 books.
Also during his time at the London School of Economics, he was elected treasurer of both the L.S.E Investment Forum and the L.S.E Afro-Caribbean Society.
While at Holy Cross, Issa founded the International Student Union, was a founder and editor of the student “Journal of Political Economy,” was a Eucharistic Minister, was active in the big brother and tutoring programmes, disc-jockeyed reggae music for the campus radio station and served on his dormitory’s house council.
Source: The Jamaica Record
