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Accounting Students Attend National Conference for Case Competition, Governance Program
Students Russell Young, Claudia Pitts, Matthew Earley, Marissa Angelo, Andrew Faulkner, and Emma Boyle shown in front of the Austin Mural in Austin, Texas.
Scranton Students Attend National Conference as Case Competition Finalists and for Elite Program
Six accounting students from The University of Scranton were sponsored to attend the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) Annual Accounting & Finance Conference in Austin, Texas, in June.
Five of these students attended the conference as one of the final-four teams for the national IMA Case Competition. Marissa Angelo ’22 of Dickson City; Matthew Earley ’23 of Perkasie; Andrew Faulkner ’23 of Randolph, New Jersey; Claudia Pitts ’22 of Scranton; and Russell Young ’22 of Charleston, South Carolina; presented in front of a live audience during the IMA Annual Meeting. The team offered their strategic recommendations on how to maximize customer value for a fictitious indoor futsal facility based on various economic, financial, cultural and industry factors.
For the competition, student teams from around the country submitted their analysis in early February, and after multiple rounds of a blind submission and judging process, the final four teams were selected in late April.
At the final four competition, The University of Scranton student team presented against three student teams from The University of Nevada—Las Vegas. Just for making it to the finals, the University of Scranton team received a cash prize of $2,000 and their trip was sponsored by the IMA.
Dr. Ashley Stampone, assistant professor of accounting, served as the faculty advisor for the final-four team and the student IMA chapter at the University.
“The IMA Case Competition provides a valuable opportunity for students to utilize and demonstrate their technical, analytical, teamwork, and leadership skills. Being selected as a finalist to present in front of a live audience is an attestment to the abilities and hard work of the Scranton team,” says Stampone.
Angelo graduated this past May earning her Master of Accountancy. During her undergraduate studies, she was a member of both the Business Leadership Honors Program and the Kania School of Management Business Honors Program. At commencement, she received the Outstanding Senior Award in Accounting and Frank J. O’Hara Awards for General Academic Excellence, which is given to students with the highest GPA in each of the University’s three undergraduate colleges. She also among the just 253 students in the nation selected to receive a 2021-2022 Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) scholarship. Angelo also completed an assurance internship with E&Y in their Philadelphia office where she will join them full-time in the fall.
Earley graduated this past May earning his Bachelor of Science in finance with minors in business leadership and computer science. He was a member of both the Business Leadership Honors Program and the Kania School of Management Business Honors Program. He is the recipient of the University’s full-tuition Presidential Scholarship. He will pursue employment with the Office of the Comptroller of Currency as a Bank Examiner.
Faulkner graduated this last December earning his Bachelor of Science in accounting. He was a member of the Kania School of Management Business Honors Program.
Pitts graduated this past May earning her Master of Accountancy. During her undergraduate studies, she was a member of both the Business Leadership Honors Program and the Kania School of Management Business Honors Program. She will pursue employment with the Office of the Comptroller of Currency as a Bank Examiner.
Young graduated last May earning his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting with a minor in business analytics. He was a member of the Kania School of Management Business Honors Program, and is currently employed with EY in their Charlotte, NC office.
Emma Boyle, senior accounting student, was also sponsored to attend the 2022 annual conference as part of her selection to participate in the IMA’s “Jimmie Smith” Student Leadership Experience. This elite governance program only selected five students worldwide to participate in a variety of virtual meetings with the IMA’ Global Board of Directors. At the conference, Emma was presented with an award to commemorate her experience and selection into the Program.
The IMA Selection Committee only chooses a few students from IMA Higher Education Endorsement Program member schools to attend this experience. Approximately 100 colleges have achieved endorsement by IMA internationally. The University of Scranton received its endorsement in November 2017.
Boyle graduated this past May with her Bachelor of Science in accounting with a triple-minor in business analytics, business leadership, and forensic accounting. At commencement, she received the Outstanding Senior Award in Accounting. She was a member of the Business Leadership Honors Program and the recipient of the Rose Kelly Award. She previously served as president for the University’s Beta Alpha Psi-Nu Cappa Chapter, IMA Student Chapter, ACFE Chapter, and will be working with Deloitte in the Philadelphia office. Boyle plans to complete her Master of Accountancy at The University of Scranton with a concentration in accounting analytics.
Throughout the conference, Angelo, Boyle, Earley, Faulkner, Pitts, and Young attended professional sessions and presentations. They also explored Austin throughout the three-day event, visiting popular landmarks such as the Austin Mural and the Texas Capitol.
Charles Csaszar, a graduate accounting student, was also selected to participate in the IMA’s “JimmieSmith” Student Leadership Experience and he attended the IMA’s Annual Accounting and Finance Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota in June 2023. Csaszar was the fourth University of Scranton student to participate in this elite experience since 2017.
Csaszar graduated as a double major in accounting and philosophy in May 2022, and received his Master of Accountancy degree with a concentration in accounting analytics in May 2023. He received the Outstanding Student Award for Accounting Analytics, and he served as Secretary for the IMA Student Chapter. He will be working as a Tax Associate at PwC in their New York City office.
