York University students win CPA Challenge

York team places first in CPA Ontario competition

TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - Three York University business students came in first in this year's edition of the CPA Challenge. The Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario held its annual competition on January 31 to give teams of post-secondary students considering a career as a CPA the opportunity to compete, have fun and earn some cash prizes.

"We had a lot of fun and had a really good strategy in place. It was a roller coaster of emotions," said David Fu, one of the winning York team members. "We learned to trust and have faith in our team."

The 2015 CPA Challenge winners are:

• 1^st Place – York University, represented by David Fu, Maggie Chan and Hamza Amjad, who win the CPA Challenge Cup plus $3,000 and an additional $1,500 for their school's accounting/business society
• 2^nd place – McMaster University, represented by Muhammad Mahmood, Alyssa Morrison and Kyle Edick, who win $1,500
• 3^rd place – York University's Schulich School of Business, represented by Bikram Brar, Aza Albogatchieva and Tharsan Raveenthiran, who win $750
• 4^th place – University of Ottawa, represented by Adam Stelmach, Austin St. Pierre and Carl Delisle, who win $300
• 5^th place – University of Waterloo, represented by Tiffany Chan, Peggy Zou and Annu Puri, who win $300

To win, the three-person student teams took part in a friendly competition stressing the use of CPA skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership and time management. A total of 33 three-person teams from 23 post-secondary programs were run through a skill-testing simulation to test the participants' ability to think on their feet and problem solve.

"The CPA Challenge is an engaging learning opportunity for students," said Vicki Liederman, Director Recruitment, CPA Ontario. "They are given the chance to develop their leadership skills, network with peers and meet with industry professionals. Winning students are awarded cash prizes that will help fund their education, bringing them one step closer to their career goals."

Other campuses taking part in the competition included:

• Brock University
• Carleton University – Sprott School of Business
• Lakehead University
• Queen's University
• Redeemer University College
• Ryerson University
• Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology
• Sheridan College
• University of Guelph
• University of Guelph-Humber
• University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)
• University of Toronto – Mississauga Campus
• University of Toronto – Scarborough Campus
• University of Toronto – St. George Campus – Rotman School of Management
• University of Windsor
• Western University
• Western University – Ivey Business School
• Wilfrid Laurier University

About the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario

CPA Ontario protects the public interest by ensuring its members meet the highest standards for integrity and expertise. CPA Ontario serves and supports its more than 80,000 members and approximately 20,000 students in their qualification and professional development in a wide range of senior positions in public accounting, business, finance, government, not-for-profits and academe. Certified General Accountants (CGAs), Certified Management Accountants (CMAs) and Chartered Accountants (CAs) are now unified under the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. Chartered Professional Accountants are valued by organizations of all types and sizes for their financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight, management skills and leadership. For information on the profession, visit cpaontario.ca. To become a CPA in Ontario, visit gocpaontario.ca.

SOURCE The Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario

For more information, please contact: Perry Jensen, Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, 416-969-4271 or 1-800-387-0735, ext. 271, [email protected]; Amy Mulhern, Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, 416-322-6520 or 1-800-668-1454 ext. 8311, [email protected]