Mercer University Master of Accountancy students Trish Gray, Christine Gregory and Malina Fital won first place at the seventh annual Internal Audit Case Study Competition at Kennesaw State University on Nov. 10. 

The competition, open to college students around the state, challenges three-person teams to evaluate a complex business scenario that illustrates the importance of business processes, controls and analysis as well as Internal Audit review. The event is sponsored by the Institute of Internal Auditors Atlanta chapter.

Mercer’s team submitted a written response to the competition and was one of 10 selected as finalists to present its recommendations before a panel of judges at Kennesaw State. By virtue of winning, each of the three students received a $1,000 check from IIA Atlanta. 

Other finalists included Emory University, Georgia State University, the University of Georgia, Kennesaw State University, Middle Georgia State University and Wesleyan College.  

Doug Mims, partner at Carr, Riggs & Ingram LLC, served as the team’s business mentor, while Dr. Julie Petherbridge, associate dean and associate professor of accounting in Mercer’s Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics, was the team’s faculty adviser.