Contact:
Emily Dennis, Public Relations Associate
NYSSCPA
212-719-8364
edennis@nysscpa.org

NEW YORK, NY, June 23, 2006 - The New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants’ Foundation for Accounting Education will partner with Pace University to celebrate the 20th year of the Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP) Program, with 28 high school juniors participating at Pace’s downtown Manhattan campus from June 25 to June 29. Over 950 minority students have graduated from the Pace COAP Program since it began in 1987, and over 1,500 students have participated in the COAP program over the twenty years since. The program now takes place on nine college and university campuses across the state.

“This program is invaluable in providing high school students with a practical look at the inner workings of the accounting profession at a key point in their college selection process,” said C. Daniel Stubbs, Jr., Senior Vice President and CFO, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc. and Chair of the Pace COAP Program.

The COAP program began due to the lack of minority professionals in the accounting field. Even today, only two out of ten new accounting hires are from minority backgrounds. By attending COAP courses and seeing accountants in their work environments, these students are given an invaluable opportunity to see what possibilities lay ahead of them. All of the sessions are conducted by CPAs, some of whom are Pace University alumni. These students live on the Pace University campus during the program, giving them a first hand look at college life.

The Pace COAP program, which is free of charge for the students, includes lectures from CPAs as well as tours of MTV, Ernst & Young and the Pace campuses. The program will conclude with a banquet and keynote addresses by Carol Greene, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Joseph Baczko, Dean of the Lubin School of Business at Pace University.

Other CPA committee members of the Pace COAP Program include: James Brown, Controller, TIAA-CREF; Lynne Byrne, Associate Dean, Pace University; Angie Cerone, Director of Finance, Ernst & Young, LLP; Theresa Clark Messer, Director of Finance, National Basketball Association; Taiwo Danmola, CPA; Elizabeth Diep, CPA, PricewaterhouseCoopers; Damon Duke, CPA, Citigroup; Dan Hobson, Manager, Minority Initiatives, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Anthony Kendall, Partner, Mitchell & Titus, LLP; Steven Mendez, CPA, Ernst & Young; Veda Stanley, Account Manager, Clarendon National Insurance Company; Lemar Swinney, Partner, KPMG, LLP.

A survey of COAP alumni has revealed that almost 100% of respondents have gone onto college and that 70% are majoring or enrolled in accounting or business programs.

About the NYSSCPA

Representing 30,000 CPAs, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) is the oldest and largest state accounting organization in the nation.
Incorporated in 1897, the Society is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to establish and maintain high standards of integrity, honor, and character among certified public accountants. Its members are CPAs working in public practice, industry, government and education in a state that serves as the home of Wall Street and major financial institutions.

The New York State Society of CPAs is located at 3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016. To learn more about the Society call 800-633-6320 or visit the Society’s website at www.nysscpa.org.