The Accounting Career Awareness Program goals are:
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To increase the number of high school students
from under represented ethnic groups that attend college and major
in accounting or finance,
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To increase college enrollment of these
particular ethnic groups, and
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To provide a pipeline program for directing these
students to the accounting profession.
To achieve these goals ACAP:
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Sponsors a one-week residency program during the
summer at a local college or university.
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Provides students the opportunity to:
a) attend classes on careers in accounting and
business, personal development, and college preparation.
b) tour local companies and CPA firms; and
c) invite their parent(s) or guardian(s) to a
recognition of their completion of the program.
3. Maintains ongoing contact with
students through our alumni programs which monitor their academic
progress and personal development.
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BACKGROUND
ACAP is a nonprofit organization, currently registered as
an IRS section 501c (3) corporation. Development of the ACAP idea began in
1980, when the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (NABA) became
concerned about the small proportion of minorities entering the accounting
field from under-represented minority groups. Recognizing that preparation
for a business career should begin in the early years of junior and senior
high school, the Seattle Chapter, under the direction of Ronald Leverette,
designed a pilot program that would encourage minority students to take the
college preparatory courses they would need to major in accounting and other
fields of business. With the assistance of many Seattle area based
businesses and public accounting firms, the pilot program was established.
To ensure that the program's goals were achieved, ACAP formed an Executive
Committee comprising business executives from the private and public
sectors, academia and NABA representatives. This partnership model, bringing
together corporate resources with NABA and other key professionals forming
an active Advisory Board (or Executive Committee), and a supportive academic
institution has proven successful over the past three decades.
ACAP-based programs are operating throughout the United
States including Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
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THE LEARNING
EXPERIENCE
ACAP fosters motivation and achievement. The program
helps instill new attitudes in students, challenging them to set high goals
and strive for success. Courses include practical business applications such
as accounting, financial statement analysis and computers, as well as
personal development topics such as goal setting, networking, personal
budgeting and communications skills. Evening study sessions reinforce
messages conveyed during each day's classes.
Throughout the residency, the instructors and ACAP
Advisory Board members serve as important role models. In addition to the
insight gained through the coursework, students learn by example that
success is within their reach. Field trips to corporations and accounting
firms provide first-hand exposure to the business world and allow students
to network with successful minorities.
The ACAP model works !! Surveys consistently indicate
that most ACAP alumni go on to college, and a large majority study
accounting or business.
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THE
COMMITMENT - BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC
Corporations and accounting firms demonstrate their
ongoing commitment to ACAP with more than monetary donations; they make
contributions of human resources as well.
Public accounting firms of all sizes provide funding and
play instrumental roles in program development. The program has also
generated the interest and support of a number of key corporate sponsors. In
addition to financial support, supporters have direct access to the
Executive Committee and host field trips during ACAP residency sessions or
alumni events.
The growing number of qualified student applicants
increases each year making it imperative that ACAP sponsorship funds
increase as well.
ACAP continues to expand to make a more meaningful impact
in the marketplace. The long term goal is to increase the number of
residency sites to help more students across the State of New Jersey. ACAP
also needs support to reach more schools and to expand alumni programs to
provide academic and career guidance to older alumni facing a challenging
work environment.
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