{"id":6224,"date":"2017-06-01T10:26:09","date_gmt":"2017-06-01T15:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/?p=6224"},"modified":"2017-06-01T13:33:18","modified_gmt":"2017-06-01T18:33:18","slug":"sau-pbl-students-compete-nationally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.saumag.edu\/news\/2017\/sau-pbl-students-compete-nationally\/","title":{"rendered":"SAU PBL students to compete nationally"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Southern Arkansas University\u2019s chapter of Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) performed with great success at the State Leadership Conference in April by winning 36 individual and team awards and with 15 members qualifying to attend the national conference.<\/p>\n

Under the guidance of advisors Dr. Gerald Plumlee and Sheryl Edwards, 27 SAU students competed against 300 members from 14 other colleges and universities in the state of Arkansas. Those winning first or second place honors at the state level earn a trip to the National Leadership Conference, which this year is in Anaheim, California, in June. Also at the state conference, SAU PBL member Micah Larey of Fouke, Arkansas, campaigned and was elected Executive Vice President of Membership for the state of Arkansas.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s trip to nationals is considerably more expensive than previous years when the chapter has driven to the host city. With the additional cost of airfare, the trip will cost $17,885. By the first week of May, the chapter had raised more than $10,000 toward its fundraising goal, and an SAU Development \u201cIgnite\u201d campaign has been set up to collect donations at https:\/\/ignite.saumag.edu\/PBL<\/a>. Only a few days remain in the campaign, and donations of any amount are appreciated.<\/p>\n

“We’re very proud of our members who have worked very hard this year. Our members earned more awards and we have more members eligible for nationals than we’ve had in many years. This is evidence of our outstanding students and high quality programs in the Rankin College of Business at SAU,\u201d said Plumlee, who was honored as the Outstanding Local Chapter Advisor at last year\u2019s state conference.<\/p>\n

With a successful run at state, members of the chapter are eager to attend nationals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to travel to my second National Leadership Conference with PBL this summer,\u201d said Cordell McDonald, a junior marketing major from Smackover. \u201cAnaheim is a beautiful place and I can\u2019t wait to fly out.\u201d McDonald placed first in the Sales Presentation event.<\/p>\n

Each year, around 2000 members from 40 states compete against each other on a national level, attend leadership development workshops, and hear motivational keynote speakers. This year\u2019s national theme is \u201cA Legacy of Leadership,\u201d marking FBLA-PBL\u2019s 75th anniversary since the organization was founded in 1942.<\/p>\n

Since 1974, Southern Arkansas University Phi Beta Lambda has earned 320 national awards.<\/p>\n

Students representing SAU at the National Leadership Conference in Anaheim include Lisa Antoon, Joseph Atchison, Tray Beasley, Aaron Brock, Aric Callaway, Levi Edmondson, Brian Kemp, Micah Larey, Prince Marfo, Cordell McDonald, Thomas Quarshie, Holly Roomsburg, Lera Street, Austin Taylor, and Cole Williams.<\/p>\n

A complete list of winners and their competitive events can be found below. Names eligible for the National Leadership Conference are also listed and marked with a *. Students attending the conference as alternates for a member who could not attend are marked with **.<\/p>\n

First Place Awards<\/strong><\/p>\n