Three Nazarian College Students Place in Top 10 of Microsoft Office State Championship
Three Nazarian College students recently finished in the Top 10 at the 2025 Fall Qualifier for the Microsoft Office Specialist California State Championship, taking sixth, seventh and eighth place.
Esha Bhogal, Jennifer Martinez and Phillip Salem showcased their Microsoft Office skills during the competition against students from across California. Nazarian College Accountancy Lecturer David Primes guided the students through the competition process, providing mentorship and support.
Primes says the Excel certification exam, which students take to earn credit for the college’s ACCT412L course, offers an opportunity to participate in the competition.
“Students prepare for the exam during the semester with review materials and practice exams on their own time and schedule,” says Primes. “The exam is an important part of confirming a student’s readiness to work with this important business tool upon graduation.”
The Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship presented by Certiport is a competition that tests students’ skills in Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Students are eligible to participate in one of six Fall Qualifier competition tracks by submitting a qualified, passing score on the Microsoft Office Specialist Word, Excel or PowerPoint certification exams by Dec. 20, 2024.
“The title of ‘Microsoft Office Specialist Champion’ will serve these students well in both their academic and career pursuits,” says Gary Gates, managing director of Pearson VUE, the parent company of Certiport. “Not only have they proven they are the best in their state at using Microsoft Office products effectively, but they also have an important distinction to place on their resume that shows a desire to learn and validate in-demand skills.”
Certiport’s Microsoft Office Specialist is an industry-recognized certification program that assesses students’ Microsoft Office skills and prepares them for real-world application of their knowledge.