A group of talented DePaul students earned first place in the local phase of a national collegiate accounting case competition sponsored by the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and PriceWaterhouseCoopers in October.

Seniors Jennifer Smith and Marcus Collier; junior Ebonee Adams, and sophomores Charlene Rhinehart and Melody Johnson – all members of DePaul’s chapter of NABA – presented their case in the 2006 xACT Challenge in Chicago. During the competition, student teams are challenged to research and present well-defined solutions to accounting-related problems. A panel of judges representing public accounting evaluated the presentations.

“The DePaul team’s accomplishment highlights their dedication and critical thinking skills,” said Sandra Shelton, accounting professor and faculty advisor for DePaul’s NABA chapter. “During the school year each student works a minimum of 25 hours a week, while attending classes, to prepare for competition and an additional 75 hours on the case itself during the two week period prior to the team’s presentation. The local competition judges commended the DePaul team for their knowledge of the material, ability to effectively communicate accounting and business issues, and the overall quality of their presentation.”