August 1999

My COAP Experience

By Sanjay Paranandi

The alarm buzzed loudly in my ear at 7 a.m. I slowly woke up, turned it off, and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. It was Sunday, June 27, the first day of the Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP) program at Pace University. My anticipation started to build; it was my first time running the entire COAP program. I sat up in bed and hoped that everything would run smoothly.

The COAP program is a weeklong college residency for minority high school juniors. Students participate in workshops that cover topics such as finance and accounting, computers, and verbal communication skills. Participants also attend field trips to local public accounting, industry, and government offices. Preparation for the weeklong residency started in January of this year by first sending applications to high school guidance counselors, then scheduling student interviews with COAP board members in April, and, finally, arranging the curriculum throughout May and June for the residency. Sponsored by the NYSSCPA, FAE, academia, the profession, as well as Pace and Hofstra Universities, the program is now in its 13th year.

Last year, I represented the Society and attended the COAP program at Hofstra. At that time, I was only helping out with COAP and did not dream that in 1999 I would be managing it. As I finished packing my bags, I started to get nervous because this time I was responsible for the program's success.

It was a long and lonely drive from Long Island to the Pace campus in Pleasantville. My heart started pounding as I got closer to my destination, and thoughts were racing through my head. "Will everything go as planned? Have all the teachers been notified as to what classes they are teaching? Did I notify all the students?" I pulled up to the parking lot and realized I had arrived sooner than expected. I stayed in my car long enough to ask myself one more question, "Can I stay here for five days with fifty-five high school juniors?" I closed the door--I didn't have the answer.

I walked toward the registration area, not knowing what to expect, when I saw Shomari Whyte (a COAP student) and his parents. I talked with him and his parents about how the program could be beneficial to his future and what events were planned for the week. That's when I realized I could do this. Students began arriving one by one, but most of the students came from the Pace New York City campus. I chatted with other students and started to feel comfortable, so I decided to go to my car and get my bags.

As I was walking back, I saw an army of students with their bags in hand, marching toward the registration area. I could tell the students were uncomfortable. Ninety-five degree heat and being on a bus with 55 strangers will do that to you. I got my key, decided to unpack, and checked out my room. I was assigned a townhouse with six other students, townhouse 29. I went to my room, and I was stunned. No TV!

Slowly but surely, day one started to unfold. COAP alumni and co-head counselors Brian Hill and Aisha Phillipson, COAP board Chair Pat Adams, Pace student counselors Gina Feldman and Antonia Gonsalves-Carualhal, COAP alumni Gillann Napoleon and Coleen Powell, and I started orientation with a discussion of the rules during the five-day stay. Students got to know each other better during the "Getting Acquainted Session," run by COAP board member Lynne Byrne and Pace University representative Kari Solomon. After dinner, the night ended with the viewing of the movie, Wall Street. I made it through day one.

Day Two

Getting up at 6 a.m. and waking six other kids in my townhouse was no picnic. We had to be dressed and ready for breakfast at 7 a.m. The day was filled with classes, starting with "Accounting Overview/Career Opportunities," taught by COAP board members Dan Stubbs and Bob Rosario. Also teaching "Business Ethics," they performed well as a team, making both sessions fun and informative.

A lunch break was followed by more classes. John Howell taught "Goal Setting, Business Writing," and COAP board member Pablo Sanchez taught students how to write thank you letters. We headed back to our dorms around 10 p.m. The kids were exhausted, but they understood that they were there to learn as much as possible.

Day Three

The day began at 8 a.m. with "Resume Writing," taught by Maxine Sugarman and Ivy Rivera from Pace University. Next was "Financial Statement Analysis" with Pablo Sanchez and Genero Perez. Each class was getting tougher for the students, but they would get a break. At noon, we split up in two groups to go on field trips to Arthur Andersen LLP and KPMG LLP. Students had a chance to learn about each firm and see exactly what a CPA's work environment is like. The day finished with "College Preparation," taught by Christopher Tyburski from Pace University and "Preparing Resumes," led by COAP board member Yvonne Harris Jones.

Day Four

The first class, "Communication Skills," began at 8 a.m. and was taught by COAP alumna Lucy Jacox who now works at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. COAP board member Tai Danmola taught the next session, "Technology in Business and Accounting."

At noon, we went on another field trip, this time to Pepsico. COAP board member Patricia Creekmore, who is general auditor at Pepsico, arranged the trip. The students asked many questions to the experienced panel and learned important tips for their future. The trip was fun for everyone--it's hard to go wrong serving pizza and Pepsi for lunch. Then it was back to Pace and back to class. John Warren and Shonette Harrison taught "Interviewing Skills." COAP alumni led the "Etiquette Workshop" dinner.

The highlight of day four was when students prepared five-minute skits on topics they had learned during the week. The skits were creative and funny, and the topics included sexual harassment, business ethics, and mock interviews.

Day Five

I couldn't believe it was the last day. There was a strange feeling in the air. Everyone was happy that they would be going home in a few hours, yet sad that they would not see their friends the next day. Actually, I felt the same way. I became close with the counselors and all the students but I missed my bed and TV.

We left at 9 a.m. and headed back to Pace University in Manhattan. When we arrived, we broke into two groups for our field trips to The American Indian Museum and The New York Stock Exchange. As we got closer to the ending reception and banquet, I realized how six months of preparation had come to fruition. After the field trips, we had one more class to attend, "Professional Accounting Organizations," with representatives from the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), the American Association of Hispanic Certified Public Accountants (AAHCPA), Beta Alpha Psi, and the NYSSCPA.

The reception and banquet was a great ending to the five days. Keynote speaker Aaron Dean from Prudential was excellent, and I am sure the students got a lot out of his speech.

Each student received a certificate for successfully completing the program. I met all the parents and other family members who were appreciative of the opportunities their children received. Keisha Cooper from Andrew Jackson High School told me at the end of the program, "I got to meet people from everywhere, people from different backgrounds I never thought I would meet, and I now have friends and contacts that will last a lifetime."

I felt the same way. I arrived not knowing how I would handle staying with 55 strangers, and I left with 55 new friends. That is what the COAP program is all about. *