Top row, L to R: Dion Meggs, Brian Maj and Manish Setia with the winning team members (bottom row, L to R) Jasmol Kaur, Shriya Malisetty and Hinal Patel.
The spring Goglin Data Analytics Case Competition took place virtually on May 21, 2021. The student teams examined public health data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and accounting data of publicly traded companies in the state of Illinois. The case required knowledge of Excel functions, practice creating and using a pivot table, and skill using visualization for analysis and conclusions.
“I was really impressed by all the teams,” says Associate Professor Ning Du, who developed this year’s case. “The visuals and the analysis were beyond my expectations. We determined that all participants were worthy of a scholarship award in the end.”
Teams delivered 10-minute presentations before a panel of judges from Ledger & Quill, the school’s advisory board and donor society. This year’s judges included Manish Setia (BUS ’00), AbbVie director; Dion Meggs (BUS ’12, MSAA ’18), EY forensics and integrity services senior; and Paul Nockels (BUS ’92), RSM director.
“What is great about this competition is that it helps prepare students for the types of professional skills that will be critical as they enter future roles,” Setia says. “They not only need to be in a position to analyze data on emerging risks quickly but must be able to translate that data in a compelling manner in order to drive good business decisions.”
The judges evaluated students on their technical explanation, critical thinking, quality of visual presentation and overall delivery. Winning first place was the student team of Hinal Patel, Shriya Malisetty and Jasmol Kaur. “It was an honor to participate,” Malisetty says. “Learning how to come to a decision after analyzing large data sets is a skill that I know I’ll carry with me throughout my professional career.”
Faculty members from the School of Accountancy & MIS joined the event as audience members. “I was very impressed by the professionalism of the competition,” Professor Emeritus John McEnroe says. “The Goglins were my aunt and uncle, and I’m proud of the finished product that this event has delivered over the past several years.”
This case competition is funded by the Edward A. and Mary C. Goglin Endowed Accounting Award, established to promote accounting education and excellence through a student competition.
By Brian Maj