COAP Program Adds Two New Sites

By Sanjay Paranandi, Public Relations Specialist

NEW YORK-A New York State Society of CPAs program that introduces minority high school students to the accounting profession expanded this year to reach more potential accounting majors than ever since the program's inception in 1987.

The Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP) program, traditionally run in conjunction with universities and professionals, included sessions at Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus and Westchester Community College, in addition to established sessions at Pace University and Hofstra University.

With the two new programs in place, COAP this year was able to accommodate 150 promising high school juniors to teach them the benefits of an accounting career and to draw more diversity into the profession. The four COAP programs featured successful minority role models and a carefully tailored curriculum that taught students about business opportunities and skills to make more informed career decisions.

The program began with 24 students in a five-day residency at Pace University, and in 1996, it grew to include a residency session at Hofstra University. The two programs last year hosted about 100 students.

This year the LIU, chaired by Paul Wright, and Westchester Community College programs were commuter-based-students went home for the evening. The LIU program ran from Monday, June 24, to Friday, June 28, while Westchester ran from Wednesday, June 26, to Tuesday, July 3 (no classes were held on June 29-30). Both Pace and Hofstra University continued to be centered around a five-day residential program where students stayed overnight on campus. Both programs ran from Saturday, June 29, to Wednesday, July 3.

Students in all four programs participated in field trips to companies like Keyspan and Mastercard, as well as accounting firms such as KPMG and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, to give students a firsthand look at the business world.

"We know that COAP has an impact on the participants," said Ed McDougal, chairman of the COAP Hofstra Advisory Board. "It both stimulates their academic ambitions and raises their awareness about career opportunities in finance and accounting."

Classes have included business ethics, business writing, and interviewing skills, as well as an etiquette workshop dinner. Classes go a step beyond, exploring skills that students will need to possess during and after their college years, and giving them an idea of what to expect when they enter the professional world. Past COAP participants even found the classes useful for their senior year of high school, and helpful in the process of applying to colleges.

Advisory boards from each of the participating schools coordinate the program. This board-comprised of professionals in public and private practice as well as academia-raises funds, designs the curriculum, selects the students and evaluates the program, which is free of charge. Preparation for this year's programs began in January, when applications were mailed to high school guidance counselors. Applicants were interviewed by advisory board members in April, and the curriculum was developed in May and June.

With the addition of two new programs, this process proved challenging. The board had to review applicants from 100 more students than applied in 2001. Board chairs from the new schools were glad to see the expansion.

"I believe that the importance of this program is that it demonstrates that the accounting profession has numerous opportunities for all," said Frank Pellegrino, chairman of the COAP Westchester Advisory Board. "The experience that one gains from the accounting profession will assist each person regardless of what field they ultimately enter."

COAP Pace Chairman Dan Stubbs agreed. "Given the fast pace of today's business environment, COAP gives students an important opportunity to understand the considerations of top decision makers in a more relaxed setting," Stubbs said. "COAP gives high school students invaluable insight into the difference between financial accounting practiced in today's society and the debits and credits of the bookkeeping courses they have been exposed to in high school. It expands the options of the best and brightest beyond the traditional career tracks of medicine, science and law."

COAP hopes to continue expansion to more college campuses in the coming years, where it will reach even more students and provide them with the interest and motivation for future success in the accounting profession.

Lou Grumet, the Society's Executive Director, is excited to see more students learn about the accounting profession. "I think the future of the profession lies with our young people," he said.

If you would like more information on COAP, contact Bill Pape at (212) 719-8420 or wpape@nysscpa.org. In addition to NYSSCPA funding, donations from individuals, accounting firms and corporations support the program. To contribute a tax-deductible donation, make checks payable to the Foundation for Accounting Education and send to COAP, c/o Bill Pape, NYSSCPA/FAE, Fifth Floor, 530 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10036-5101.