PSU business students, advisor bring home wins from statewide competition 

Each of the students in the Kelce College of Business at Pittsburg State University who competed in a recent competition qualified for nationals. 

Eleven of them racked up 21 first place wins, six second place awards, and six third place awards in the Kansas PBL Leadership Conference, held recently at Emporia State University. 

As members of PSU’s Phi Beta Lambda Chapter — the college version of Future Business Leaders of America, an organization that prepares members for careers in business and business-related fields — they competed in a total of 48 events. 

Students were required to submit prejudged work, take categorized tests, and/or present projects to a panel of judges. All 11 students will now advance to the national conference in June that will be held in Chicago, Illinois. 

“Our students did an amazing job in this year’s state competition,” said David Hogard, director of Academic Advising & Career Readiness. “I am very proud of their accomplishments and looking forward to seeing these students not only succeed at the national competition, but as they continue with their education and careers.” 

The students weren’t the only ones taking home hardware, as Hogard also was recognized as the 2022 PBL Advisor of the Year for the State of Kansas. 

Award winners include: 

Amanda Becker, a junior accounting major from Weir, Kansas 
Accounting Principles (1st)
Accounting for Professionals (1st)
Justice Administration (2nd)

• Bethany Blatchford, a senior management major from Arkansas City, Kansas 
• Desktop Publishing (1st)
  Small Business Management Plan (1st)
  Management Concepts (3rd)

Taylor Brynds, a senior psychology and management major from Cherokee, Kansas
Help Desk (1st)
Organizational Behavior & Leadership (1st)
Management Concepts (1st)
Client Service (2nd)

Sarah Clausen, a senior marketing and management major from Cherokee, Kansas 
Social Media Marketing (with Wyntr Jacobs) (1st)
Website Design (with Wyntr Jacobs) (1st)
Entrepreneurship Concepts (1st)

Hannah Evans, a sophomore accounting major from Shawnee, Kansas 
Accounting for Professionals (2nd)

Spencer Grillot, a senior accounting major from Oswego, Kansas 
Cost Accounting (1st)
Computer Concepts (1st)
Personal Finance (2nd)

Samuel Holman, a senior from Cassville, Missouri, majoring in computer information systems and business economics and finance 
Cyber Security (1st)
Microeconomics (1st)
Programming Concepts (1st)
Macroeconomics (1st)
Computer Concepts (2nd)

Wyntr Jacobs, a senior marketing and management major from Pittsburg, Kansas 
Social Media Marketing (with Sarah Clausen) (1st)
Website Design (with Sarah Clausen) (1st)
Business Communication (1st)
Entrepreneurship Concepts (3rd)

Olivia Mitchell, a junior accounting and finance major from Waverly, Kansas 
Accounting Principles (2nd)
Client Service (3rd)

Matthew Schmidt, a sophomore finance and business economics major from Easton, Kansas 
Sports Management & Marketing (1st)
Financial Concepts (1st)
Financial Services (1st)
Macroeconomics (3rd)
Personal Finance (3rd)

Derek Yuza, a sophomore finance major from Goddard, Kansas 
Statistical Analysis (1st)
Financial Concepts (3rd)

Students will be fundraising to offset costs for the national competition this summer. To donate, contact Hogard.

Learn more:

Kelce College of Business