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WHAT IS ACAP? THE COMMITMENT - BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC
CORPORATE SPONSORS American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Arthur Andersen LLP Verison Deloitte & Touche LLP Ernst & Young LLP KPMG LLP Avaya New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJSCPA) PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP Prudential Insurance Company of
America |
The Accounting Career Awareness Program - Northern New Jersey (ACAP) is a residential learning experience administered at Rutgers University by the Northern New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants developed to expose promising minority high school students to accounting and business careers. Centered around a five-day residency session, ACAP features successful minority role models and a carefully tailored curriculum. Students learn about business opportunities and can make a more informed decision as to a career choice. At the same time, ACAP addresses the concern that too few minorities are entering the accounting profession in public accounting, private industry, government, and education.
Through ACAP's efforts, participating students receive the educational enrichment experiences and practical help they need to prepare for university-level programs. Students are selected based on a variety of factors, including high school counselor recommendations and student applications.The 2001 program will be conducted from Sunday July 1, 2001 through Friday July 6, 2001 on the Newark campus of Rutgers University.
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 drawn 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, and a supportive academic institution has proven successful over the past two decades. ACAP-based programs are operating throughout the United States including Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
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 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.
THE STUDENTS
ACAP
recruits minority high school students from public and private schools
throughout the State of New Jersey. These African-American, Asian,
Hispanic and other minority students are high achievers who face
challenges head-on. The student selection process is competitive.
Participants must complete an application form, secure letters of
recommendation and attend an interview with ACAP Advisory Board members.
THE CONTINUING ALUMNI
SUPPORT
ACAP provides minority students with academic
and career guidance that continues long after the residency session with
regularly scheduled alumni events.
Workshops, seminars and other activities are developed to meet and complement the changing needs of ACAP alumni as they enter different stages of their education and careers. Sessions include presentations on financial aid, effective study skills and job search techniques, as well as visits to banks, accounting firms and other companies.
A tracking system follows students through college and early employment to evaluate the success of ACAP. Internships provide opportunities to gain hands-on experience working in corporations and public accounting. Many alumni have received practical experience from internships or permanent positions in accounting firms, banks, brokerages and other institutions.
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 a representative on the Advisory Board and host field trips during ACAP residency sessions or alumni events.
THE NEED
Costs for
the program include meals, housing, transportation to the field trips,
course materials and follow-up alumni sessions. ACAP faculty members are
volunteers and THERE IS NO COST TO THE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE. The
program is funded entirely by contributions from accounting firms,
corporations, foundations and professional organizations.
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.
THE APPLICATION
PROCESS
For further information or to obtain an
application, please write to :
Thomas E. Hampton
Executive Director
NNJ - ACAP
P.O. Box
1091
Newark, NJ 07101
Phone: 973-491-7685
Fax:
973-678-6563
e-mail: nnj@ix.netcom.com
