UNK students win numerous awards, including top chapter, at state FBLA conference

UNK FBLA Collegiate members pose with their awards during the State Leadership Conference in Kearney. Pictured, front row, from left, are Brooke Thoendel, Connor Reeson and Courtney Cox and, back row, from left, Omar Sanchez, Austin Kenner, Cody Swinarski, Olivia Lawless and Kaden Gilbert. (Courtesy photo)

KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney students won six events and once again claimed the top chapter award during a statewide business competition.

Lopers also earned six second-place awards, with a total of 22 top-five finishes, at the Nebraska Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate State Leadership Conference.

Hosted Sunday and Monday in Kearney, the annual conference gives students from colleges and universities across the state an opportunity to network, attend leadership workshops and compete in events testing their business knowledge and skills.

Ten members of the UNK FBLA Collegiate chapter participated in the conference, with nine of them qualifying for the National Leadership Conference scheduled for June 24-27 in Orlando, Florida, and another making the reserve list.

For the third consecutive year, UNK received the overall excellence award presented to the top four-year college chapter in the state.

UNK Individual Results
Courtney Cox of Alliance – First place, Foundations of Hospitality Management; Second place, Accounting Case Competition; Third place, Project Management
Olivia Lawless of Aurora – First place, Business Communication; First place, Job Interview; Second place, Future Business Executive
Brooke Thoendel of Bennington – Third place, Business Ethics; Fourth place, Sports Management and Marketing; Fifth place, Project Management
Omar Sanchez of Lexington – Second place, Job Interview; Fifth place, Foundations of Finance
Kaden Gilbert of North Platte – First place, Foundations of Technology; Second place, Parliamentary Procedure; Fifth place, Foundations of Communication
Connor Reeson of Omaha – Second place, Foundations of Accounting; Second place, Foundations of Entrepreneurship; Fourth place, Foundations of Economics
Cody Swinarski of St. Paul – Fifth place, Business Communication
Ella O’Neil of Wauneta – Fourth place, Foundations of Accounting

UNK Team Results
Austin Kenner of Bridgeport, Olivia Lawless and Omar Sanchez – First place, Finance Case Competition
Olivia Lawless and Brooke Thoendel – Fourth place, Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition
Group entry – First place, State of the Chapter Presentation