WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Seven students and two faculty advisers, Dasha Russell and Ed Birdyshaw, from the Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) business club at Missouri State University-West Plains attended the FBLA/PBL State Leadership Conference April 1 at Drury University in Springfield, and seven students won awards in competitions held as part of the event.
Weston Mitchell and Jim Listopad, both of Cabool, and Darian Williams, West Plains, teamed up to place first in Computer Animation, and Dillon Cordel and Derek McGinnis, both of West Plains, placed first in the Business Law team event. Mitchell also earned second place honors in Organizational Behavior and Leadership.
Several students placed third in various competitions: Drew Bledsoe, West Plains, Public Speaking; McGinnis, Emerging Business Issues; Mitchell, Client Service; and Listopad, Programming Concepts. Cordel placed fourth in Impromptu Speaking, and Williams placed fourth in Macroeconomics. Lindsey Oliver, Thayer, who did not attend, placed fifth in Business Communication, an online competition.
ON TO NATIONALS
Medals were awarded to first through fifth place winners, and several earned the right, because of their placing, to compete at the PBL National Leadership Conference in June in Anaheim, California. Those students include Mitchell, Listopad, Williams, McGinnis and Cordel.
Missouri State-West Plains PBL member Edward Schultz, Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, also attended but did not compete.
A total of 208 students from colleges all over Missouri competed at the PBL State Leadership Conference.
MCGINNIS ELECTED TO STATE OFFICE
In addition to the competition, elections were held for state office, and McGinnis was elected vice president of communications for the Missouri PBL Leadership Team for the 2017-18 academic year.
“We are very proud of the students for their accomplishments and the faculty advisers who support this student organization,” Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Drew Bennett said.
CAR SHOW FUNDRAISER
To help pay for the trip to nationals this summer, PBL members will be hosting a car show fundraiser 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 6 near the Smith-London Centennial Bell Tower on the Missouri State-West Plains campus. Show participants will be charged a $10 entry fee, but visitors will be admitted free. All are encouraged to attend the family-friendly event.
For more information about PBL or the fundraiser, contact Russell at 417-255-7279 or DashaRussell@MissouriState.edu.