Five First-place Finishes send Phi Beta Lambda to Nationals

Published: March 26, 2014 | Read Time: 3 minutes

Students from SUU's Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) had a strong showing in state competition, leaving the annual Professional Business Leader competition against all the state's colleges and universities with five first-place finishes that will send five T-Bird students to Nashville, Tenn. for PBL nationals in June.

In addition, SUU junior Ashley Amundsen came away as the newly elected PBL president for the state of Utah, as well as a first-place finish in the Who’s Who and third-place finish in the Retail Management portions of state competition. Who’s Who is one of the most prestigious events in PBL.

Proving both mettle and ambition, Amundsen is also running for the Western Regional Vice President position at the upcoming National Spring Leadership meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. Amundsen is looking forward to the opportunity to competing in the national competition, and will spend countless hours preparing. She will be competing in Desktop Publishing and Web Design.

“I will need to revise my current materials for (Desktop Publishing) as well as study up on desktop publishing concepts for the test,” she said. “Ultimately, the best way for me to prepare for this event is to present to advisers and PBL members (mock panel) who can give valuable feedback on improving my presentation.”

Such preparation are, of course, on top of her ongoing classes and homework as well as new duties as Utah's PBL president.

Amundsen joined PBL in 2011 as a student at Snow College and just finished her second year serving as the Vice President for Utah PBL. As she nears her final year in college, she decided to run for President at the Spring Leadership Conference, where she was elected, to end her experience on a high note.

David Tyler, a senior communication major, had an exceptional showing at the state competition. He finished in first place in Business Presentation and Client Service. He also tied for first place in Integrated Marketing Campaign, took second place in Public Speaking and finished third in Marketing Concepts.

Tyler said many of SUU's PBL students have majors outside the School of Business, ranging from communication to business to graphic design. The club is by no means exclusive to business majors, giving all PBL students a broader perspective on how their interests and field relate to other courses of studies and professions.

Tyler said these PBL competitions are very beneficial in preparing for his future professional life.

“It helps me stay relevant with issues I need to know about and also get me used to presenting in a business setting,” he said. “You’re used to presenting in class or even other situations, but it’s rare that you get a really business-type setting. You have to be very professional, you have to be dressed up and you have to know your time limits.”

Tyler also said that his PBL leader, SUU School of Business Dean Carl Templin, has helped him and his fellow members out in many ways, especially helping them get ready for these competitions. In addition to thoughtful feedback gleaned from decades of experience, Tyler said Templin manages all the details of travel and logistics so the students can focus on their studies and competition.

Tyler also mentioned that the PBL club is a great place for students to explore career options.

“It’s a great club, especially for people who know they want to do business but aren’t sure what aspect of business,” he said. “The competitions are especially great for that. You can say ‘here is where some of my strengths are,’ and it’s not just for business majors.”

The national PBL competition is scheduled for June 24-27. Along with Tyler and Amundsen, SUU will have three additional individuals participating in the event as well as three teams. Amundsen will compete in a team event with her husband.

Professional Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda is the nation’s largest and oldest student business organization with a quarter million members and advisers in 12,000 chartered schools and colleges worldwide. Its mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.

Additional questions about the PBL competitions or the PBL club at SUU may be sent directly to the dean of business and PBL advisor, Carl Templin, at templin@suu.edu.

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