Sports Day: Accounting Students Crowned Champions

BY KARIMA RAGAB

The Accounting Department took home gold and were titled Champions of the Year at the Fifth Annual School of Business Sports Day on Tuesday.

Accounting students routed other teams in almost every competitive event except football – where they came in second – held in the Sports Complex and organized by the Citadel Capital Financial Services Center (CCFC) and the Office of Athletics.

Accounting major Mohamed Dahawy set the pace with a win in the 800-meter race, the first competition of the day.

The teams were divided into the various departments of the School of Business – Accounting, Management of Information Systems (MOIS), Finance and Economics.

The Marketing department, however, were not able to make it due to another event related to the major that took place on the same day.

“I think it’s an excellent opportunity for all of the students, staff and faculty to interact outside of the class and the staff outside of their work,” said Professor of Finance and Director of the CCFC Aliaa Bassiouny, who participated in the organization of the sporting event.

“It is an opportunity for the students to get to know each other which, ten years down the road, they’re going to [be] really thankful for when they reconnect,” added Bassiouny.

Sports activities for the day included running, tug of war, volleyball, football, Zumba and for the first time, Ashtanga yoga.

This year’s events marked another first – females-only sporting events such as Zumba, and belly dancing. There was a separate table tennis competition for women participants, as well.

In both football and volleyball, female players earned double for scored points.

“I was the only girl last year,” said Haneen Aljammali, accounting junior, who has attended for the second time this year.

“There are definitely a lot more accounting students [this year],” she added.

Accounting Professor Angie Zaher told The Caravan that every year is more fun than the year before. “It’s all about encouragement and motivation,” she said.

“We have quite a big number this year,” said Senior Program Specialist of the CCFC, Ghada El Eraqi. “Currently, students have projects and midterms so it’s a good opportunity to have some fun and interact with the professors,” she added.

Bassiouny told The Caravan that the biggest challenge was publicizing the event.

“Students need to realize that it’s a very nice opportunity to chat over different things, dance together because not everything is about going to class and getting a grade. What you build out of the university are relationships for life, it’s not about anything else.”