July 27, 2011
The Department of Accounting and Taxation at The Peter J. Tobin
College of Business and the Foundation for Accounting Education of
the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants
(NYSSCPA) celebrated five years of partnership in the Career
Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP) program, offering
an invaluable learning experience to 28 minority high school
juniors in the Queens area from June 26-30, 2011.
“The St. John’s program is entering its fifth year and has been
extremely successful,” says Mark Ulrich, CPA, director of Budgets
and Compliance and adjunct assistant professor of accounting and
taxation at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. He is also the
chair of the COAP St. John's Advisory Board. “Through COAP,
students get an edge in succeeding both in college and in the
accounting profession. Many of our [COAP] alumni are now seniors
studying accounting at various colleges across New York and the
United States. Many of them hold internships at accounting
firms.”
This year’s St. John’s COAP program offered a tremendous number of
benefits to the high school students including a behind-the-scenes
look at the accounting profession through field trips and guest
speakers; one-on-one interactions with numerous CPAs and
professionals; a sneak preview of the college life experience
at a major metropolitan university; various soft-skill
seminars and team-building exercises; an ethics workshop, and
access to accounting faculty and business school administrators
in the Tobin College.
The agenda included site visits to three prestigious organizations:
Robert Kalenka, CPA and corporate vice president of Global
Procurement and Facilities at Broadridge spoke with the group
during a tour of the company’s impressive facilities; a panel of
young CPAs and three college interns at Goldman Sachs engaged
in a Q&A session with the students; and Campus Recruiters Dawn
Thompson and Eleni Athanasiou discussed public accounting and the
opportunities at Ernst and Young while the group sat in their
executive boardroom overlooking the heart of Times Square.
“Our program brings in dozens of young CPAs to network with our
students so they will have life-long contacts in the profession,”
Ulrich notes. “We also have an internship program through the
accounting office of Edward Torres, CPA, in Forest Hills to award
summer internships in July and August to up to three outstanding
COAP students.”
Back on campus, students participated in workshops and seminars
about accounting, college, and personal development. Students
received a thorough introduction to accounting and what CPAs do
from Ed Torres, CPA. Two students from the 2010 St. John’s
COAP program, currently interning at Mr. Torres’ firm, joined him
at the presentation to share their COAP success stories.
Students heard from two FBI special agents and how the FBI hires
qualified people with accounting backgrounds. Students
learned that there is a financial aspect to every crime and that
the FBI actually needs people with accounting degrees.
There was also a career panel and speed networking session where
students were able to interact one-on-one with young CPAs and
accountants. Other seminars and workshops included: a
resume writing seminar, a session about writing professional
e-mails and using e-mail to maintain one’s professional network, a
session all about college, college expectations, and the CPA exam,
an etiquette dinner, a “Dress for Success” workshop, and
presentation about college admissions and financial aid.
The program wasn’t all business -on the evening of Monday, June 27,
the COAP students from St. John’s program and LIU Brooklyn met at
Bowlmore in Times Square to enjoy an evening of bowling, food and
fun. The students networked, made new friends, and saw that
accountants can have fun, too!
The program concluded with a banquet celebration. In a room full of
family, NYSSCPA representatives and St. John’s administrators and
faculty, the students shared what they learned and how the program
will affect them as they embark on the college application process
this winter. Keynote speaker Patrick Payano, CPA and NYSSCPA’s
controller, offered career advice and shared his success
story.
The Peter J. Tobin College of Business has provided a high-quality
business education for over eighty years, offering individuals from
throughout the world the opportunity to study in New York’s dynamic
business environment. The innovative curriculum emphasizes an
analytic and hands-on understanding of business practice that
prepares graduates to excel in today’s global marketplace.
The Career Opportunities in the Accounting Profession (COAP)
program provides a learning experience developed to expose
promising minority high school students to accounting and business
careers. Founded in 1987, COAP offers students a tailored
curriculum and extensive opportunities to interact with successful
minority role models and gain exposure to the corporate
environment.
For more information about the St. John’s University COAP Program,
contact Mark Ulrich at (718) 990-6391 or ulrichm@stjohns.edu.
If you would like information about The Peter J. Tobin College of
Business, contact Asia Hauter at (718) 990-6128 or hautera@stjohns.edu.