Bigger and Better
Summer COAP Programs Exceed Expectations

By Alicia Korney, Public Relations Associate

Nearly 250 minority high school juniors participated in this year’s Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession programs, offered annually by the NYSSCPA at eight locations around the state.

Split between residential- and commuter-based programs at local colleges, COAP programs are from three to five days long and include seminars in business and accounting, business ethics, resume writing, interviewing skills, presentation skills and networking. Professionals from public accounting, private industry and academia serve as members of local COAP Advisory Boards. The programs are financed by the NYSSCPA and contributions from its members.

Terry McCarthy, an audit partner of Green & Seifter CPAs LLC and cochair of the Syracuse Chapter COAP Advisory Board, said the program exposes minorities, historically underrepresented in the CPA profession, to accounting and the language of business.

“Inner-city kids need to know that college can be a part of their world,” said McCarthy, who’s been involved with the program for the past three years. “This is just the right thing to do. That interaction between members of the state Society and the students can be an invaluable thing.”

Founded in 1987, rooted in a program originally developed by the Seattle chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, the New York COAP program began with a group of 24 students at a residency program at Pace University in Pleasantville, followed by a similar program at Hofstra University in 1996. Each year students send in applications to the NYSSCPA for the program and are interviewed in a group setting by local advisory boards. Since its inception, more than 1,000 students have completed the program, many of whom have since finished college and entered the business profession.

The Westchester Chapter COAP chair, Don Kiamie, of Windsor Management Corporation, said that from dozens of applicants, 35 minority high school juniors were admitted into the Westchester program, the most ever. Kiamie said a unique part of the program this year was technology sessions where participants prepared an actual tax return using the popular tax software program Turbo Tax, as well as a session where students had a chance to use the popular accounting software program Quickbooks for Windows. 

Other COAP programs included speakers tackling topics on everything from dinner etiquette to fraud protection and detection. Students also took field trips to public accounting firms and private companies, as well as to local clothing stores for “dress for success” presentations.

“It’s a great opportunity for motivated high school students to learn about the broad and lucrative career options available to CPAs, while they also get a taste of college life,” said William Dresnack, a member of the Rochester Chapter COAP Advisory Board and an associate professor at SUNY Brockport. “The CPA mentors and teachers are all jazzed about the chance to try to recruit young, talented people to the profession. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

All of the programs ended with an Awards Banquet, where students heard from keynote speakers and received a certificate of completion, with special awards for outstanding achievers.

The COAP Program also took place at the following institutions: Dutchess Community College, June 24 to June 30; Hofstra University, June 26 to June 30; Long Island University–Brooklyn Campus, June 27 to July 1; Le Moyne College, June 27 to June 29; Pace University, June 26 to June 30; SUNY Brockport, June 26 to June 30; and Siena College, June 27 to July 1.