For Medha Verma and Urvil Mehta, a semester’s worth of hard work all adds up to this coming weekend.

The two fifth-year accounting co-op students are co-chairing the annual Brock University Accounting Conference (BUAC), which is set to draw attendees from across Canada to campus Nov. 17 to 19.

Sponsored by Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario, the conference includes career development opportunities for accounting students and a case competition where students will analyze an accounting case before presenting their analysis and recommendations to the judges.

Fifth-year accounting students Medha Verma and Urvil Mehta, seated, are leading their team to host the Brock University Accounting Conference this weekend.

The competition helps students to hone their problem-solving, teamwork and presentation skills. Verma and Mehta have worked to perfect those skills themselves over their five years of involvement with the conference.

Armed with both co-op and case competition experience, they know the level of planning involved in making this large-scale conference tick.

“We’ve seen the conference grow from 13 teams up to 19, and we’ve seen it happen at different venues and in different formats. We’re looking forward to making this year’s event the best one yet,” Mehta said.

“I have so much passion for this conference. I go to sleep thinking about BUAC and wake up thinking about it too and I wanted to carry that passion forward to my team from a leadership standpoint.”

Mehta and Verma’s efforts are bolstered by 15 students on their executive team as well as 30 student volunteers.

The conference will see 19 university students teams gather at Brock University for the case competition, which is judged by accounting professionals and faculty members, followed by an upscale awards gala held at the Crowne Plaza Fallsview hotel in Niagara Falls.

The teams, including Dalhousie University and University of Regina who are participating for the first time, will compete in junior and senior categories.

“Participation in this conference is getting larger and it shows the strength of its reputation and the significance of the experience students get coming to an event sponsored and hosted by the Goodman student body,” said Goodman Dean Andrew Gaudes.

“Coming to the Niagara region for everyone is a great treat I’m sure, and we’re able to provide richness of experience and reward for their effort.”