Bellevue University Students Win Awards at Nebraska FBLA-Collegiate Conference

Bellevue University College of Business students placed high in several categories at the Nebraska Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)-Collegiate Conference held March 24-25 in Kearney, Nebraska. 

Team members placed in the following categories:

• Maria Pinedo Velarde, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an Emphasis in Finance, placed 5th in the Foundations of Management category and 2nd in the Organizational Behavior and Leadership category.
• Andres Valencia, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Sports Management with an Emphasis in Athletic Coaching, placed 4th in the Organizational Behavior and Leadership category. 
• Carlos Ortega Arguelles, who is pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics, teamed up with Valencia to take 2nd place in the Management Case Study and Finance Case study categories.

Dr. Laurel Mitchell, Program Director in Acquisition and Contract Management and Professor, served as the Bellevue University team advisor. 

“Participation in the FBLA-Collegiate competition is a valuable experience for Bellevue University students,” said Dr. Mitchell. “Recognition in the competition shines a light on the real-world business skills that students learn in class and lets students sharpen their leadership, communication and teamwork skills as they compete against their peers.”

The team also received an overall Award of Excellence for reactivating the University's FBLA-Collegiate chapter. 

The FBLA-Collegiate organization is committed to bridging the gap between future and present professionals through service, progress and education. 

The National FBLA-Collegiate competition will be held June 24-27, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.