Catawba College

SALISBURY — Catawba College recently sent students to the annual State Leadership Conference of the North Carolina Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda and netted six first-place showings.

This was the largest group of Catawba students to attend the conference. Many of those qualified to compete in the nationals scheduled in Baltimore in June.

The Catawba students who attended the conference held in Charlotte on April 5-8  represented many academic majors and minors. They competed in business categories against students from other colleges and universities across the state.

The prestigious “Public Speaking” competition, generally the largest at the conference, was won by “Mr. Catawba,” Duane Leatherberry.

The Integrated Marketing Campaign scored another first for Catawba College with its clothing closet campaign for the end-of-the-year sale. This is the third year that the clothing closet has been the basis for awards for the Catawba College chapter.

In all, Catawba had six first-place finishes including the business law team, integrated marketing campaign team, business sustainability team, accounting for professionals, public speaking and organizational behavior and leadership.

Catawba’s Phi Beta Lambda chapter received an award for being the third-largest chapter in the state and for increasing the overall number of members from the previous academic year.

Catawba students attended leadership development and other workshops and met Cherie Berry, keynote speaker and the state commissioner of labor and a member of the North Carolina Council of State.

Another distinction for Catawba was winning $1000 for tying for first place in the Food Lion Food Drive sponsored by the Phi Beta Lambda Professional Division and Food Lion. The food drive, which is a part of Food Lion Feeds, was a competition among all chapters across the state. Catawba collected more than 1,400 pounds of food.

The conference ended with the Saturday evening awards ceremony where winners from about 350 participants in the business competition were announced.

Students receiving first through third place state conference awards in most events automatically qualify for the national competition.