The University of Washington, Bothell chapter of Beta Alpha Psi placed first in the national competition at the Beta Alpha Psi Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md., on Aug. 3. The national conference hosts approximately 1,000 students from prominent universities across the U.S. to engage in community service, attend professional sessions and compete in a variety of projects.

The UW-Bothell team presented a consulting project on modernizing accounting systems and internal account controls for the American Legion Post, a Snohomish veteran’s services nonprofit organization. The team’s presentation won the National Best Practices event under the category “Strategies for Dealing with Change.”

“This team put in countless hours of hard work on the project itself, and then spent several hours every day leading up to the conference preparing their presentation,” says Ron Tilden, faculty adviser. Students on the winning team were J.C. Hauchecorne, Chris Harbert, James Forinash and Caroline Boktour.

Prior to the competition, students participated in a community service event coordinated between Beta Alpha Psi and the city of Baltimore. “Project Homeless” matched students with clients to help them obtain health, human services, housing, food and financial assistance. Students interviewed their clients and served as “personal shoppers” for finding services most relevant to their clients.

Beta Alpha Psi is an honorary organization for financial-information students and professionals founded in 1919. Beta Alpha Psi’s work includes promoting the study and practice of accounting, finance and information systems, and encouraging a sense of ethical, social and public responsibility.