The Slam Dunk Challenge trophy is proudly displayed by Deloitte Memphis summer intern and MSU accounting alumnus Spencer Tamler, who recently completed his undergraduate degree.

Mississippi State alumni at Deloitte showed themselves to be both competitive and generous this past spring, winning their firm’s 2025 Slam Dunk Challenge.

Each year during NCAA March Madness, the Deloitte Foundation holds its own competition to raise funds for college scholarships, offering to match dollar for dollar what employees give toward their respective schools. Duke University had always come out on top – until this year, when the name etched into the trophy was Mississippi State University.

“We were in second place for most of the competition,” shares Adkerson School of Accountancy alumnus Clark Price. “Then we had a push in the final week and blew it out!”

To even the playing field, the four-week contest is weighted to account for varying levels of alumni representation within the company. Some 70 MSU alumni are currently employed with Deloitte.

Price, an Audit and Assurance Senior Manager in Memphis, teamed with fellow alumnus Brandon Bogard, Audit and Assurance partner in Stamford, CT, to coordinate the effort for their alma mater.

“We sent out weekly updates, had a drawing among donors for a gift card and did shout-outs for those who gave,” says Price, who notes that the benefits go beyond bragging rights. “Even though it was a competition, the main point wasn’t the amount an individual gave, but to get folks in the habit of giving back to Mississippi State.”

Price and Bogard, both members of the ASAC Advisory Council, told the group about the Deloitte challenge – its structure and and how it helps incorporate giving as a part of company culture. Since then, Price has heard from peers at other firms wanting to learn more.

Overall, the 2025 Deloitte Slam Dunk Challenge raised more than $300,000 for scholarships – a win for students at Mississippi State and many other universities.