Inside…
HU team named finalist in PwC case competition
Dr. P. Michael McLain, Jameya Green,
Cecil Stokes, Melanie Richards, Joel
Gardner, Jerrica Cash and Dr. Sid H. Credle.
For the second time, a team from Hampton University has been selected as a national finalist in the PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) Extreme Accounting Case competition. The competition is Jan. 22-23 at the PwC headquarters in New York.
“Over the years we have developed an intensive case preparation training process that these students will participate in during early January,” said Dr. Sid Howard Credle, dean of the HU School of Business. “We know that as a result of this process that when this brain slugfest is over and the dust settles, the HU team will still be standing.”
HU business majors Jerrica Cash, Cecil Stokes, Melanie Richards, Joel Gardener and Jameya Green will compete against teams from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Pa., Villanova University in Villanova, Pa., and University of Illinois in Urbana, Ill.
“I believe we can hold our own or better against the other teams,” stated Cash, a senior five-year MBA major who has competed in the PwC competition three times, going to nationals twice. “Last time was upsetting because we had a taste of nationals and didn’t win. We are more experienced and ready this year.”
This year approximately 800 teams competed in PwC’s extreme accounting and tax competition held at 83 campuses across the country. Only five schools are chosen as finalists and HU is the only historically black college or university (HBCU) that will compete in the finals. Each finalist team will receive $10,000.
“This is an experience that everyone does not get,” stated Gardner, a sophomore five-year MBA major who is competing in the competition for the first time. “It’s been a great experience. We are able to represent Hampton as well as other HBCUs.”
The team will be able to do some site seeing while in New York; however, their main focus will be on their case and their presentation.
“I expect other teams will be ready to compete,” stated Richards, a junior accounting major, regarding the competition. “This should really be an enjoyable event, and we will have a great time in New York.”
While Stokes and Cash have had the experience of competing in nationals, the three new members of the team are looking forward to the experience. All three agree that the level of preparation the team has eases their fears about the competition and heightens their anticipation. For all three, the competition has been a great learning experience that they believe will help them in the future.
“This has been a great experience for me. I am learning so much from working with the upperclassmen,” stated Green, a sophomore five-year MBA major. “I have become more comfortable with presenting and I look forward to the competition.”
Dr. P. Michael McLain, lecturer in the School of Business and advisor to the team, has been working with the group and is encouraged by their curriculum, classroom preparation and their enthusiasm that they will do well in the competition.
“They are looking forward to going to New York,” stated McLain. “This is a good competition and they have done great so far. I expect they will do great this year.”
-Naima Gethers