Students in the Catawba College chapter of Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) received two first-place awards and one second-place award at the recent online annual State Leadership Conference PBL National competition this year will also be held in online format June 24-26.
Catawba students who placed in events were: Ryen Reid, first places, Economic Analysis and Decision Making and Global Analysis and Decision Making; and Blake Pierce, second place, Personal Finance.
Catawba’s chapter also received the Gold Star chapter award, recognizing excellence in chapter leadership and accomplishments for the year. The chapter tied with Appalachian State University for fifth place as Largest North Carolina PBL Chapter.
Catawba Phi Beta Lambda Chapter Officers for 2019-20 are: Blake Pierce, President; Ryen Reid, Vice President; Jade Brooks, Secretary; Patience Hunt, Treasurer; and Jaime Cassell and Maurice Jones, Social Media Directors.
At the last meeting of the chapter via Zoom, President Blake Pierce was presented with an engraved gavel and thanked for his year of leadership. Graduating seniors received PBL cords signifying their membership and participation in the national organization, including Jackie Alvarez, Jonathan Barbee, Jaime Cassell, Bryan Fraguso, Patience Hunt, Maurice Jones, Blake Pierce, Ryen Reid, Danielle Ritz, Colby Smith, Abby Tomlin, Allison Waters, Tiffany Vang, and Crystal Weeks.
Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)-PBL is the largest business career student organization in the world with more than 240,000 high school, college and professional division members. FBLA-PBL is recognized by the Association for Career and Technical Education, International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, National Association of Parliamentarians, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Business Education Association, and the U.S. Department of Education.
Catawba's PBL chapter regularly helps with various College Admissions events and special days for prospective students. Although spring activities were impacted by COVID-19, students hosted a Linked In service event for students and a Lip Sync Contest with the SGA. The chapter is experiencing growth with new members from the School of Evening and Graduate Studies.
FBLA-PBL's National Awards Program recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas. Through state-based competition at the spring State Leadership Conferences, students compete in events testing their business knowledge and skills. Top state winners are eligible to compete for honors at the National Leadership Conference each summer.
