UNLV accounting team wins national competition

Students in UNLV’s accounting program have big shoes to fill in the new school year after five graduates took home the grand prize in a national competition.

The five-person team of Marion Canestrier, Kevin Curry, Annie Bellorin, Andrea DeBrino and Daniel Dinev took top honors in July at the annual Institute of Management Accountants National Case Competition.

“This win is evidence of and a clear indication of the Department of Accounting’s effort to connect the application of classroom study to real-world issues and prepare students for the workplace,” Brent Hathaway, dean of Lee Business School, said in a statement.

It was the first time UNLV students participated in the competition, which focused on cost allocations, performance evaluation and compensation, and the evaluation of a potential acquisition candidate.

After making it past the initial round, the team of finalists presented their case analysis at IMA’s annual conference in Denver. They beat out the University of Southern Indiana, Wright State University and American University of the Middle East to win $2,000 for the grand prize after winning $3,000 for making the finals.

Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3897. Follow @NatalieBruzda on Twitter.