L&C’s Future Business Leaders of America Club Receives Several Awards from State Leadership Conference

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club received seven first-place plaques, two second-place awards, and three third-place awards from the recent FBLA State Leadership Conference.

The club departs for the FBLA National Leadership Conference at the end of June, where they will compete against state champions nationwide.

Associate Professor and FBLA Club Advisor Christina Wickenhauser said she could not have asked for a better group of students to kick off the FBLA club at L&C. 

“When I sent out the email blast last August to recruit founding members, I was shocked to have seventeen members sign up, many taking on leadership roles and going above and beyond to help get the club up and running,” Wickenhauser said.

Wickenhauser said the five students pictured have taken advantage of almost every opportunity offered through the club thus far. Various networking and professional development opportunities have allowed these students to grow in ways they cannot do in the classroom, she said.  

“I am most excited about the level of confidence they have gained,” Wickenhauser said. “This confidence has allowed them to eloquently speak whether they are addressing high school students or board members.”

Wickenhauser said she jokes with her students often that she wants them to stay connected so she can look at their future successes and say, "I knew them when they were just becoming who they were meant to be." She does not doubt that the club is going to come home with several awards at the national level.  

The FBLA club and Wickenhauser said they received phenomenal support from L&C’s Student Government Association, as well as donations from the ECHO Academy, a non-profit group organized by Karen Wilson to support the professional development of women at L&C. 

The FBLA club students not only carry full-time class loads, but most also have full-time jobs, with two currently working two jobs since they were able to break into their career field early. Wickenhauser said this is what America’s future business leaders look like and that the future looks bright.

Awards

• Mason Ferrell – 1^st in Future Business Executive, 1^st in Sports Management & Marketing, 3^rd in Foundations of Selling
• Nicc Edwards – 1^st in Marketing Sales & Communications Case Competition (Group with Bre Welch and Vondasia Pittman), 2^nd in Impromptu Speaking, 3^rd in Job Interview
• Bre Welch – 1^st in Impromptu Speaking, 1^st in Marketing Sales & Communications Case Competition (Group with Nicc Edwards and Vondasia Pittman), 2^nd in Job Interview
• Vondasia Pittman – 1^st in Marketing Sales & Communications Case Competition (Group with Bre Welch and Nicc Edwards), 1^st in Future Business Educator, 1^st in Foundation of Finance, and 3^rd in Foundations of Accounting
• Eva Voumard – 1^st in Foundations of Communications