Minority Students Encouraged to Apply for Accounting Program

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE) of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Management are accepting applications from high school juniors for the Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP) program.

The program will take place from June 27 to July 1 on UB’s North Campus and will feature a comprehensive series of breakout sessions designed to provide participants with insights into all the components of an accounting education and career.

A number of area accounting firms will give presentations on campus, and students will make off-site visits to Lumsden & McCormick, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Rich Products, where they will take company tours and speak with accounting representatives from those firms.

The goal of the COAP program is to increase minority participation in the accounting field, and recruitment is focused on minority groups historically underrepresented in the profession. Only high school juniors (next year's seniors) are eligible to participate.

Interested students should contact Cara Patterson, program liaison, at 212-719-8362 or coap@nysscpa.org to receive an application.

In addition to the University at Buffalo program, COAP programs will be taking place at the following campuses across the state in late June and early July: SUNY New Paltz, St. John’s University, Hofstra University, Pace University, University at Albany, York College, Long Island University, LeMoyne College, The College at Brockport and Westchester Community College.

More than 2,000 high school students have participated in the COAP program since its inception in 1987, and many have gone on to careers in accounting or business. Professionals from public accounting, private industry and academia serve as members of the COAP Advisory Board.

Representing 28,000 CPAs, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) is the oldest 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, N.Y., 10016. To learn more about the Society, call 800-633-6320 or visit the Society’s website at www.nysscpa.org.

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school also has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.