Press Release

December 6, 2019 | By Cole Hatcher

You Voted for Nick!

OWU Student Earns $500 in National Accounting Video Competition

Nick Braydich ’20

Updated December 6, 2019

In October, we asked you to help Ohio Wesleyan University accounting major Nick Braydich win $500 in the national “ThisWayToCPA” student video competition sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. And you did!

Braydich, a senior from Struthers, Ohio, learned Dec. 6 that he was one of the Top 5 national vote-getters for his video explaining why he wants to become a CPA. More than 100 videos were submitted for the competition.

After he graduates in May, Braydich will begin working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Columbus. He was offered a job with the Big 4 accounting firm after completing a three-month internship with the company in the spring.

Congratulations, Nick, and thanks to all who voted!


Originally published October 29, 2019

Vote for Nick

Ohio Wesleyan Student a Finalist in National Accounting Video Competition

DELAWARE, Ohio – Your vote could result in $500 of capital appreciation for a grateful Ohio Wesleyan University accounting major.

Nick Braydich, a senior from Struthers, Ohio, is one of 25 college students selected as a finalist in the national “ThisWayToCPA” student video competition sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

In their videos, the students were asked to explain in two minutes or less why they want to become CPAs. The Top 5 videos will earn $500 prizes.

Braydich says he hopes people enjoy watching his video as much as he enjoyed making it. Braydich collaborated on the project with OWU assistant professor of accounting Justin Breidenbach.

“He filmed and edited while I worked on the script and scene ideas,” Braydich says. “We collaborated really well with ideas and how to make it clever. The video runs for around 90 seconds with multiple scenes and themes.”

How to Vote 

Anyone over age 13 is invited to vote for their favorite video at this link, https://thiswaytocpa.com/program/video_competition_public_vote, from 3 p.m. Nov. 1 through 2:59 p.m. Nov. 15 (EST).

After the public vote, a panel of judges will evaluate all 25 videos for content, memorability/creativity, and audio/video clarity. These scores, combined with the public votes, will determine the Top 5 submissions. The contest winners will be announced on or before Dec. 16.

Factoring the Future 

And if Braydich is one of the contest’s winners?

“I plan to either save the money or use it toward studying for the CPA exam next summer,” he says.

Though Braydich still is thinking about how to use the money, he is more definitive about what he’ll be doing after he graduates from Ohio Wesleyan in May.

“My plans after graduation are to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers, a Big 4 accounting firm in Columbus, Ohio,” he says. “I interned with them last spring from January to March, (and) they offered me a job after my internship. I’m really fortunate to have a job going into senior year!”

Learn more about the “ThisWayToCPA” competition at www.thiswaytocpa.com and more about Ohio Wesleyan’s accounting program at www.owu.edu/accounting.

About the AICPA

Dating back to 1887, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) is the world’s largest member association representing the accounting profession. It has more than 429,000 members in 122 countries and territories. Learn more at www.aicpa.org.

About Ohio Wesleyan

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 90 undergraduate majors and competes in 25 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through Ohio Wesleyan’s signature OWU Connection program, students integrate knowledge across disciplines, build a diverse and global perspective, and apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives” and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.