Seven FIU College of Business teams competed in this yearās PwC Tax Case Competition, and the Bad Assets won.
The nationwide on-campus contest gives undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to replicate real-world decision making by working on issues facing business and government leaders.
The assignment: create tax policy for a fictitious country struggling with issues related to virtual currency.
āThe students are like a consulting team with government officials [represented by PwC executives] reviewing the presentation,ā said Whitney Wilson, PwCās Florida Campus Manager. āThereās a question and answer period where students get real-time feedback from the panel.ā
At universities across the nation, each competing team is given the same scenario and must identify solutions for the presented problem. This year, 32 FIU students participated in the competition.
Over the course of two weeks, the four- or five-person teams worked with PwC mentors to create a written proposal and a 12-minute presentation that was delivered live before a panel of two PwC partners and one director.
COB students Rosa Batista, Crystal Coto, Jose Fong, Luis Quintanilla, and Carol Sousa comprise The Bad Assets.
Challenge addresses issues faced by business and government leaders.
PwC assurance associate Ethelence Aburto, an FIU alumni (BBA Accounting ā12), served as mentor to the Bad Assets. She worked closely with the students from the start of the project, answering their questions and offering motivation, support and pointers.
āThey should be professional and consistent in how they dress,ā said Aburto, who participated in the PwC competition in 2010 while at FIU. āPracticing the presentation is key, and making sure you know what comes next.ā
Each member of FIUās winning team received a $200 gift card. Additionally, a video of the Bad Assetsā presentation will be submitted to PwCās national selection committee, which will narrow down the field of competitors. The five finalist teams will make live presentations at PwC’s national competition next January in Washington, D.C., and a winner will be named.