Several Pfeiffer University students brought home awards from the Annual Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) National Leadership Conference held in Anaheim, Calif., June 21-24.
PBL is a national association of college and university students who are interested in careers in business. Its mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.
During the conference, 1,776 PBL members, advisers and professional division members were in attendance, representing most of the 50 state chapters. President and CEO Jean Buckley said this event attracted the largest delegation ever at a national conference.
Students attended seminars and general assemblies and participated in competitive events that included objective tests, presentations and interviews. During the opening general session, participants heard from keynote speaker Frank Maguire, one of America’s most knowledgeable authorities on corporate culture, productivity and communications, who was the original senior vice president of industrial relations for FedEx.
Also during the conference, Pfeiffer students were recognized as being some of the top students in the country in their competitive events. Pfeiffer students recognized were:
– Chris Carey, of Hanover Township, Pa., who placed seventh in Help Desk and ninth in Project Management;
– Matthew Smith, of Norwood, who placed fifth in Macroeconomics;
– Kristen Welsh, of New London, who competed in the Business Communication category;
– Sam Miller, of Albemarle, made the semi-finals in the area of Future Business Executive, and received the organization’s President’s Award in the Career and Membership Achievement Program. The President’s Award is a national level honor that focuses on total association leadership, business skills and community involvement. Miller is one of two recipients of the President’s Award in North Carolina and among only six nationwide.
Students who attended the conference made fundraising a priority. To offset the costs, the Pfeiffer chapter sponsored a Boston butt sale and solicited donations from families and friends.