STEP Day of Service!

Day of Service Volunteer Jamboree

NYU STEP thanks everyone who came out Saturday for our Day of Service Volunteer Jamboree! We would like to extend a special thanks to the students and staff of our Regional STEP affiliate programs who joined our preparations for the Day of Service outreach initiative.

Samira Annabi, Pat Wicks, Betty Harrell, June Lum, Simone Young discuss the day's progress over lunch.

Debbie Hopkins-Dempsey begins her seminar on "Group Dynamics and Presentation Skills".

STEP parents Greer Alcia, Miriam Blair, and Wendy Mendez participate in the college seminar.

Makia Daniel, Makeda Barrett, Nanette von Loon, Xavier Pagan, and Paul Waters discuss college admissions strategies.

Staff members Latoya Lewis, Theresa Mohabir, and Simone Young prepare for their seminar "Getting into Competitive Colleges".

Regional Volunteer Jamboree Agenda

Saturday, March 3rd, 8:30 am
NYU Kimmel Center, Rosenthal Pavilion, 10th floor
60 Washington Square South

8:30 am
Registration/Breakfast

9:30 am
Plenary/Call to Action NYU STEP/CSTEP Director Ellen Goolsby

10:00 am
Workshop 1: Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEP)/ The NY Licensed Professions
Workshop 2: Group Dynamics
Workshop 3: Getting into Competitive Colleges
Workshop 4: Regional Organizers' HQ

12:oo pm
Lunch

1:00 pm
Workshops 1, 2, 3, and 4 (same as above)

2:30 pm
Closing Remarks

STEP Alumni Profile: Shangari Meleschi

1. Attended: Worcester Polytechnic Institute 98-02' B.S. Mechanical Engineering
- Partial Minority Affairs Scholarships 98'-02'
- Senior Capstone Design Project, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD

2. Attended: Worcester Polytechnic Institute 02-04' M.S. Mechanical Engineering
- Full Research Assistantship Scholarship 02'-04'
- Graduate Research Site Advisor, NASA Johnson Space Flight Center, Houston TX

3. Currently employed at GE Aviation in their advanced technology programs division and pursuing a company funded Ph.D. in M.E. part-time at Tufts University in Boston, MA.

4. Advanced Health Management Engineer/Technologist
- Completed 2yr Rotational Edison Engineering Development Program (EEDP)
- Supported the US Marines as an Aircraft Engine Field Service Rep. in San Diego, CA at Marine Combat Air Station Miramar (MCAS) and aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier (CVN72).

Licensed Profession Spotlight: Accountancy

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Accountants:
• Analyze operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations incurred by businesses and individuals, to project, using computer, future revenues and expenses.
• Predict revenues and expenditures and submit reports to management.
• Survey establishment operations to ascertain accounting needs.
• Compute taxes owed, ensure compliance with tax payment, reporting, and other tax requirements.
• Adapt accounting and record-keeping functions to current technology of computerized accounting systems.
• Appraise, evaluate, and inventory real property and equipment and records description, value, location, and other information.
• Prepare forms and manuals for workers performing accounting and bookkeeping tasks.
• Audit contracts and prepare reports to substantiate transactions prior to settlement.
• Establish table of accounts and assign entries to proper accounts.
• Develop, implement, modify, and document budgeting, cost, general, property, and tax accounting systems.
• Analyze records of financial transactions to determine accuracy and completeness of entries, using computer.
• Report finances of establishment to management and advise management about resource utilization, tax strategies, and assumptions underlying budget forecasts.
• Prepare balance sheets, profit and loss statements, amortization and depreciation schedules, and other financial reports, using calculator or computer.

SALARY:

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accountants and auditors who worked for or owned accounting and bookkeeping services earned an average yearly income of $64,340 in 2005. Income estimates vary by experience, as shown below:
• Up to one year of experience: $34,000–$47,000
• One to three years of experience: $38,000–$55,000
• Senior accountants and auditors: $45,000–$69,000
• Managers: $57,750–$92,000
• Directors: $69,000–$125,000

HOW TO GET THERE:

• Take four years of math, including calculus.
• Sign up for accounting and economics classes.
• Take full advantage of English and speech classes to sharpen your communication and presentation skills.
• Build strong computer skills.
• Practice accounting skills by saving money, creating a budget, and sticking to it.
• Run for the office of class treasurer.
• Learn about the business world in Junior Achievement or a similar group.

STATE OF THE ART:

“Government economists expect jobs for accountants to grow faster than the average for all careers through 2014. Many factors should fuel job growth for accountants. The number of businesses should grow, creating more financial records. And because more firms are doing business across borders, they'll need accountants who understand world trade and the laws that govern it.”

‘"I consider the background I developed in accounting to be the pivotal element in my career success as a public accountant, a corporate executive, and an entrepreneur." This statement comes from Larry Lundy, owner of 31 Pizza Hut franchises and one of America's most successful African-American businessmen, and it illustrates perfectly the wide-open path to success that accounting offers. Accountants are essential to every single business field in the country—from advertising to zinc mining—and successful accountants have tremendous opportunities in public accounting, in business and industry, and in establishing their own businesses.’ http://www.black-collegian.com/career/career-reports/rpacct.shtml

“A 2002 study by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) cites the breakdown of CPA firm new hires as follows: 82 percent white and 18 percent minority (specifically, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, Native American/Alaskan Native and "other.")

The numbers are improving, says Dan Hobson, manager of the AICPA’s Minority Initiatives Committee, but nowhere near what they need to be. The good news, he adds, is that minorities in accounting are on the rise for not only undergraduate, but also graduate degrees. In the academic year 2000-2001, minorities comprised 25 percent of accounting Bachelor’s degrees, 27 percent of Master’s degrees and 27 percent of accounting Ph.D.s.” http://www.insight-mag.com/insight/04/01-02/col-5-pt-1-CurrentAffairs.asp

INSTITUTIONS OFFERING RELATED MAJORS:

Adelphi University, Baruch College, Berkeley College - White Plains, Brooklyn College, Cazenovia College, Dominican College of Blauvelt, Fordham University, Hartwick College, Hofstra University, Ithaca College, Long Island University - Brentwood, Long Island University - Brooklyn, Long Island University - C.W. Post, Long Island University - Southampton College, Manhattan College, New York Institute of Technology, New York University, Niagara University, Nyack College, Olean Business Institute, Pace University, Queens College, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. Francis College, St. John's University, St. Joseph's College, Brooklyn Campus, St. Joseph's College, Suffolk Campus, St. Thomas Aquinas College, State University College at Brockport, State University College at Fredonia, State University College at Geneseo, State University College at New Paltz, State University College at Old Westbury, State University College at Oneonta, State University College at Oswego, State University College at Plattsburgh, State University of New York at Albany, State University of New York at Binghamton, SUNY College of Technology at Alfred, SUNY Empire State College - Coordinating Center, SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome, Syracuse University, Touro College, Utica College of Syracuse University, Wagner College, York College - CUNY.

ONLINE RESOURCES:

http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/careers/106541.html
http://nymentor.org/career/careercenter

Licensed Professional Profile: Daniel Hobson, CPA, CIA

Dan is the Manager of Minority Initiatives for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). He is responsible for directing the Institute’s diversity efforts as well as developing and executing various programs established by the Minority Initiatives Committee (MIC). The mission of the committee is to actively integrate minorities into the accounting profession to become CPAs, and enhance their upward mobility. Key programs include: Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarships, Doctoral Fellowships, Leadership Workshops, Grants for Accounting Awareness Programs, Advertising / Promotion, Outreach and Faculty Development Programs. Additionally, Dan works with state accounting societies, various accounting organizations, and other organizations focused on diversity. He sits on a number of advisory boards and frequently speaks on behalf of the profession. Dan joined the Institute in August 2000.

Additionally, he is an adjunct faculty member lecturing in accounting at New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Previous business experience includes over ten years of auditing (internal and external) and accounting work with increasing levels of responsibilities. Dan gained extensive experience managing day to day accounting operations and navigating through transitional / dynamic environments. Previous employers include: Price Waterhouse, Times Mirror, Cytec Industries and Automatic Data Processing.

In 1989, Dan received his BS in Accounting from Norfolk State University in Virginia. He is both a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor in the State of New York.

Affiliations:
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants
• Institute of Internal Auditors
• Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting
• National Association of Black Accountants
• National Council of Philippine American Canadian Accountants

Be Heard!

Today in Washington Square Park, several Opportunity Program students and staff rallied in support of responsible Immigrant Rights policies. We would love to hear what STEP & CSTEP students think about this important civil rights issue! Where do you stand on present and future immigration policy in the United States? Send your ideas to nyustep@gmail.com, and we will post selections from the best letters on the blog!




(Left to right): Edna August, Sherene Riley, Savetrie Bachan, and Mai Mai Lam








(Left to right): Beverly J. Brown, Mai Mai Lam, Sherene Riley









(Left to right): Edna Augusta, Sherene Riley, Mai Mai Lam






Photos courtesy of Amanda Elcock.