The David Eccles School of Business team was named as one of nine regional winners of Deloitte FanTAXtic, Deloitte’s student Tax Case Study Competition. More than 60 teams representing more than 40 colleges and universities participated in the regional event from Nov. 9-10, held at Deloitte offices across the U.S.
The Eccles School team demonstrated the ability to work collaboratively to solve a complex business case simulation and was also recognized for the quality of their overall presentation to a panel of live and virtual judges.
Students Carli Butterfield, Katie Garff, Austin Leonard and Tanner Roberts represented the Eccles School, along with faculty advisors Philip Jeffs and Scott Pickett.
“It was great to work with this team,” Jeffs said. “Rarely do you find a team that synchronizes so well. Each member took ownership of their respective portions of the presentation and worked together to succeed.”
Pickett added that experiences like these provide learning opportunities beyond the classroom, and for many students in this competition, it was their first foray into the field of taxation.
“From my perspective, their success was a result of two important accomplishments — gaining a deep knowledge of the tax principles covered in the case study and possessing the ability to respond to tax questions ‘on the fly’ related to the facts of the case,” Pickett said. “It was magical to observe both of these points. It was a great pleasure to work with these four outstanding students.”
From Jan. 18-20, 2019, the Eccles School team will compete for more than $50,000 in individual scholarships and institutional awards at the Deloitte FanTAXtic national competition taking place at Deloitte University, Deloitte’s national learning and leadership development center near Dallas, Texas.
Sponsored by Deloitte Tax LLP and supported by the Deloitte Foundation, Deloitte FanTAXtic is designed to educate and prepare the next generation of tax talent for a career in business and tax. The interactive program includes case simulation, role playing and presentations that provide students with insights and perspectives on challenges facing the profession today, future trends that may impact it tomorrow and the overall changing business tax marketplace. Deloitte Tax LLP professionals participate in the event and offer the students support and guidance throughout the competition.
About Deloitte Tax LLP
Deloitte Tax helps clients lead the transformation of the tax function into a strategic partner that supports growth and sustained profitability within an organization. With deep experience across a broad range of services and industries, Deloitte Tax has more than 10,000 trusted advisors who combine their knowledge of tax technical resources and technology to uncover insights and smarter solutions for clients in today’s complex global and regulatory environment. For more information visit http://www.deloitte.com/us/tax. Join us on twitter @DeloitteTax.
About the Deloitte Foundation
Deloitte Foundation, founded in 1928, is a not-for-profit organization that supports education in the U.S. through a variety of initiatives that help develop the talent of the future and their influencers and promote excellence in teaching, research and curriculum innovation. The Foundation sponsors an array of national programs relevant to a variety of professional services, benefiting middle/high school students, undergraduates, graduate students and educators. Learn more about the Deloitte Foundation.
About the David Eccles School of Business
The Eccles School is synonymous with ‘doing.’ The Eccles experience provides a world-class business education with a unique, entrepreneurial focus on real-world scenarios where students put what they learn into practice long before graduation. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBAs, eight other graduate programs, a Ph.D. in seven areas and executive education curricula. The School is also home to 12 institutes, centers and initiatives that deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.