The winning team for the Boston College 2009 PricewaterhouseCooper xTREME games competition, “Healthy Tax,” recently won $1,000 and a chance to continue on as one of five finalist teams nation-wide.

For the past several years, BC students have participated in the xTREME games hosted by PricewaterhouseCooper, a huge employer of BC grads.  The competition allows the participants the opportunity for real life business experience and face-to-face time with PwC representatives.

Each year, teams of five people compete using the various business strategies they have studied in class to attempt to resolve a hypothetical nation’s financial issues. Teams must be comprised of one junior, two sophomores, and two “any level” members. This year, six total teams competed at a chance to win one of the five finalist prizes: a trip across the country to meet with PwC experts in New York City and $10,000.

While this competition weighs heavily on knowledge acquired through the Carroll School of Management, all BC community members are encouraged to participate. The faculty advisor to the event, Professor Edward Taylor said, “These games are not just for CSOM.” He emphasized that the experience gained from the event would be valuable to many BC undergraduates. However, as usual, members from these six 2009 teams were predominately from CSOM.

After two weeks of preparing, collecting data and researching the topic, the actual competition was held on October 16th, when the teams presented to PwC officials.  This year’s hypothetical situation asked competitors to resolve tax issues by creating reforms for a theoretically struggling country.  On BC’s campus, the 2009 winning team, called “Healthy Tax,” included Michael Sodic, Carl Conti, Christen Scanion, Asie Mustafa, and TJ Kinon. They won the campus prize of $1,000, each receiving $250, and their proposal has been submitted to be considered for the finals.

This competition has become a staple on BC’s campus. Not only does it emphasize teamwork and strategizing in real world situations, but it also exposes members of BC’s community to outside companies.

Professor Edward Taylor, who works with PricewaterhouseCoopers to coordinate the event, names two benefits to the experience: “it gives students a chance to present material to PwC professionals, as all teams have the opportunity to present to board members. It also lets PwC advertise on BC’s campus.”

PricewaterhouseCooper is one of the largest employers of BC grads. The xTREME games is an excellent opportunity for BC undergraduates to make personal connections with PwC leaders, and gain a foothold into one of the Big Four accounting firms.

The winning Boston College team’s research and understanding of the hypothetical situation impressed the PwC representatives, enabling them to have their work exposed to a wide audience. It is a tremendous accomplishment; congratulations to the winning team, and thanks to PwC for invigorating the business spirit on campus.