COAP Students Reunite

Alumni Events Offer College and Career Advice

By Ross Ellis

At right: COAP alumni Tiffany Liddell (left) and Melanie Bapiste

The summer residencies are the cornerstone of COAP, the NYSSCPA's program that exposes minorities to the accounting profession. Alumni events provide additional support throughout participants' academic and professional careers.

The September events primarily focused on college preparation for the COAP class of '98, now seniors in high school. Older alumni also attended and the program included career advice for these participants. To underscore the importance of parental involvement, the COAP Advisory Board invited the parents of alumni to the events.

The Hofstra program featured sessions on the college admissions and financial aid processes, and making the adjustment from high school to college. Chaired by Edward McDougal, Jr., who also is chair of the COAP Long Island Advisory Board, the event included representatives from Hostra's admissions and financial aid departments as speakers.

The Pace program included similar college preparation topics, as well as a session on scholarships and internships with representatives from the NYSSCPA, AICPA, National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), American Association of Hispanic CPAs, and Inroads. COAP Advisory Board member C. Daniel Stubbs, Jr. hosted a college survival panel discussion featuring Damon Duke, COAP class of '93, a former residency counselor and a current student at New York University and Kerri Patrick, the president of NABA's student chapter at Pace.

COAP Advisory Board members Lynne Byrne, Taiwo Danmola, and Anthony Kendall co-chaired the Pace event. The program had a separate track for older alumni with topics including time management, resume writing, and interviewing skills. Pace's COAP residency has more alumni, as it has existed for 12 years while Hofstra completed its second session last summer.

In addition to NYSSCPA funding, COAP is supported by donations from individuals, accounting firms, and corporations. To contribute, send tax-deductible donations to COAP, c/o NYSSCPA/FAE, 530 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036-5101. For more information, contact COAP Program Manager Ross Ellis (212) 719-8357, (800) 633-6320, or rvellis@nysscpa.org. *