They came, they collaborated, they crunched the numbers and were rewarded for their efforts in a grueling regional business competition sponsored by Goodman & Company, a major Virginia accounting firm.
A team of EMU senior accounting majors tied for fourth place in the final round of competition with a team from the University of Virginia in the ninth annual Goodman & Company Accounting Challenge.
EMU seniors tied for fourth out of 33 teams
The following students made up one of 33 teams from colleges and universities from Virginia and Maryland who took a six-hour business exam the second week of October:
- Heidi A. Boese, Hesston, Kansas
- Jason D. Ropp, Iowa City, Iowa
- Brittany S. Snyder, Raphine, Virginia
- Eric B. Yoder, Narvon, Pennsylvania
The EMU team was one of only five to advance to the final round of the competition held Nov. 5 in Richmond, Va.
Here, the EMU students took another intensive, six-hour exam of practical business questions.
Team and individual rewards
For finishing tied for fourth place, the team was awarded $750 for the EMU business and economics department, and each student received $250 from Goodman & Company.
Another team from U.Va. finished first in the contest, followed by teams from William & Mary and James Madison University.
“Participating in the Goodman Accounting Challenge was hard work, but very rewarding,” said Eric Yoder. “We’re extremely excited with our accomplishment and the recognition we have brought to the accounting program at EMU.”
Heidi Boese said she “valued the experience,” because “it affirms the great education I have received at EMU and could possibly lead to job opportunities in the future.”
‘Affirmation of our curriculum’
“I’m really proud of these students,” said Ronald L. (Ron) Stoltzfus, professor of business and economics and MBA program co-director at EMU. “It was definitely a team effort.
“It’s great to have this kind of external validation of our business program and our students, Dr. Stoltzfus added.
“It’s an affirmation of our curriculum and says that our students are well prepared to enter the job market go on to graduate school,” he added.
About EMU’s business and economics program
EMU has around 90 students currently enrolled in its undergraduate business and economics program, which offers majors in: