Fourteen Students Qualify for Nationals Phi Beta Lambda State Conference

Nineteen First Place Finishes

by Beth Ginter

Emporia, KS (04/02/2019) — Fourteen students from Emporia State University's chapter of Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) traveled to Butler Community College in El Dorado, KS, to compete at the 2019 Kansas State Leadership Conference. Phi Beta Lambda is the collegiate level of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). It builds on communication, leadership, networking, entrepreneurial, and business skills for the future. All majors are welcome to join PBL. ESU was one of seven schools that competed at the event. Emporia State students collectively placed 46 times at the competition and brought home nineteen first place finishes. All of our 14 students earned placements and are eligible to compete at the National Conference in San Antonio, Texas, in June.

"Our Phi Beta Lambda students continue to do exceptional at State," says Dr. Ed Bashaw, Dean of the School of Business. "We have some very well educated and well-rounded students participating at the National stage, and I am confident that this group of students will bring home some great finishes." Many of these students have already competed and placed within the top 10 at Nationals in 2018. What makes this year so special is that once a student competes in that topic, they cannot compete in it the following year. Emporia State was also recognized as the largest Kansas Chapter.

As a member of Emporia State's PBL, students can compete in over 50 events at the state and national level, help in various community service events, gain leadership skills and experience, apply classroom learning to a real-world setting, promote business to high school students and to the community, and can be trained to be the next line of leaders in any profession. For more information on Emporia State's PBL Chapter, please go to https://www.emporia.edu/csi/rso/pbl/

The students from Emporia State University and their achievements are as follows:

• Ashley Rietcheck, Second, Computer Applications; Second, Financial Concepts; Second, Organizational Behavior & Leadership; Second, Statistical Analysis.
• Carolina Taylor, First, Organizational Behavior & Leadership; First, Management Concepts; Second, Accounting Principles; Second, Project Management.
• Dulce Guillen, Second, Business Ethics; Second, Management Concepts.
• Emily Euler, First, Statistical Analysis; Second, Business Ethics; Third, Management Concepts.
• Ifeanyi (Martin) Okonkwo, First, Project Management; First, Computer Concepts; Second, Cyber Security; Third, Personal Finance.
• Jan Bard, First, Sports Management & Marketing; First, Network Concepts; Third, Computer Concepts; Third, Marketing Concepts.
• Karoline Kennedy, First, Client Service; Second, Sales Presentation; Second, Entrepreneurship.
• Lindsey Newman, First, Accounting Principles; First, Financial Concepts; Second, Macroeconomics; Second, Personal Finance.
• Mackenzie Hofstra, First, Information Management; First, Justice Administration; Second, Retail Management.
• Madison Orrange, First, Website Design; Second, Business Communication; Second, Computer Concepts; Second, Desktop Publishing; Third, Organizational Behavior & Leadership.
• Michaela Forkenbrock, First, Business Communication; First Computer Applications.
• Paul Frost, Third, Justice Administration.
• Rob Lara, First, Entrepreneurship Concepts; First, Sales Presentation; First Retail Management; Second, Public Speaking; Third, Personal Finance; Third, Business Presentation.
• Shelby Russell, First, Social Media Campaign; Third, Job Interview.

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