Adam Choate, Shelley Keith, Tommy Clark, Weston Wright, Kayla Wright, Lindsay Givens, Kristi Canada, Nana Bawa, Valerie Smith
MAGNOLIA – Several students from the Southern Arkansas University College of Business received recognition for their work at the Phi Beta Lambda 2010 State Leadership Conference in Little Rock. PBL students from SAU brought home 28 state awards, including 7 first place honors and received the Arkansas PBL Gold Chapter Award of Merit.
Seven students will represent SAU at the PBL National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tenn., on June 8-13. These students rely on donations and fundraisers to cover the expense of attending the conference. They are currently gathering items for a rummage sale scheduled for Saturday, June 5. All proceeds from the sale will go towards hotel and travel expenses for the trip to Nashville.
SAU-PBL’s Free Enterprise project, Students Acquiring Knowledge through Economics, won first place at the state competition. The project report was written by Valerie Smith, a freshman accounting major from Junction City, and presented by Smith and Kayla Wright, a sophomore accounting major from Smackover. Smith also placed first in public speaking, fourth in local chapter annual business report, received recognition as a PBL Member of the Year, and was elected to serve as the 2009-2010 Arkansas PBL Executive Vice President of Membership.
Shelley Keith, a junior general business major from Magnolia, won first place in Information Management and Management Concepts. Will Harris, a business administration major from Texarkana, placed first in the PBL facts event and received recognition in Who’s Who in Arkansas PBL. Harris is also currently serving as the Arkansas PBL Director of Communications. Tshiring Gurung, a sophomore accounting major from Nepal, placed first in Accounting Principles and fourth in Microeconomics. Adam Choate, a junior MIS major from El Dorado, received second place in Database Design and Application and fifth place in Help Desk. He also placed fourth in the Computer Operating Systems Open Event. Matt Wise, a freshman English and Theatre major from Gassville, placed second Public Speaking. Nana Bawa, a senior accounting and finance major from South Africa, won fourth place in Accounting for Professionals. Lindsay Givens, a sophomore accounting major from McNeil, received fourth place in Accounting Principles. Tommy Clark, a freshman business major from Malvern, placed fourth in Client Service. Kristi Canada, a junior marketing major from Camden, placed fourth in Marketing Concepts. Mollie Dykes, a freshman early childhood major from Hot Springs, placed fifth in Job Interview. Weston Wright, a junior management major from Smackover, received recognition in Who’s Who in Arkansas PBL.
Traci Hughes, SAU College of Business instructor and PBL adviser from Prescott, received recognition for outstanding local chapter adviser and for service to the 2010Arkansas PBL state officer team. Gerald Plumlee, SAU College of Business assistant professor and PBL Adviser, was named as the 2009-2010 Arkansas PBL Outstanding Local Chapter Adviser. Joel Parrish, SAU alum, was named as the 2009-2010 Arkansas PBL Businessperson of the Year.
The SAU PBL Chapter was also awarded third place for largest local chapter membership, third place for recruitment of professional division members, and fourth place for raising money for Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Phi Beta Lambda is the post-secondary division of Future Business Leaders of America. Membership is open to all students interested in careers in business or business education. For more information about PBL or how to sponsor a national competitor contact the SAU-PBL chapter at (870) 235-4300.
