Kearney, Nebraska - 36 Peru State College students competed in the 2017-2018 Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) State Leadership Conference. Peru State's PBL chapter earned 96 top-eight awards including 16 first place finishes this year and four chapter awards.

Dr. Sheri Grotrian-Ryan, professor of business and Peru State's PBL advisor writes, “Peru State Phi Beta Lambda continues to excel when competing at the State Leadership Conference."

"It’s truly exciting having new students each and every year experience what PBL has to offer and to showcase their knowledge and talents. Students continually accept the challenge of these competitive events and perform at a very high level.

Grotrian-Ryan concludes, "I look forward to having a large Peru State group represent Nebraska PBL at the National Leadership Conference this summer.”

The top two places in production or performance events or top three places in objective tests in each event are automatically eligible to compete at the National Leadership Conference in Baltimore, Maryland this June. At this time, 24 Peru State students have automatically qualified for the national competition.

Students can compete in only two events at nationals, and since Peru State has several students who will have options, other students may move up in the standings as participants decide which events they will enter.

Group shot of PBL members from Peru State with trophies, certificates, etc.

Chapter Awards

The Peru State College PBL chapter was again recognized with a Gold Level Excellence Award. Gold Level Excellence is the highest level possible and shows that the chapter contributed to regional and national conferences, PBL public relations, community service, and fundraising. Peru State was similarly recognized in 2016 and 2017.

Peru State College was also recognized for having the largest membership of the four-year colleges. Peru State has 42 chapter members. Last year Peru State had the second largest chapter.

Peru State College was recognized with the Overall Excellence Award in Business Partnerships. The Overall Excellence Award in Business Partnerships recognizes the top fundraising efforts of a local chapter to support the State Leadership Conference.

Finally, Peru State College was recognized with the Overall Excellence Award for 4-Year Colleges. The Overall Excellence Award is given to the top chapter in the state on the basis of all its activities which including participation in the most state-sponsored activities.

Individual Events-----(students listed in alphabetical order; an * indicates automatic national qualifier in this event)

Kendra Alberts (Auburn, NE)
Who’s Who in Nebraska PBL

Kendra is holding the certificate and shaking Harshbarger's hand.

Kendra Alberts receiving a certificate for Who's Who in Nebraska PBL from Nebraska PBL State Advisor Ted Harsbarger.

Ryan Arnold (Houston, TX)
1st place – Sales Presentation *

Arnold is looking away from the camera.

Ryan Arnold receiving a first place trophy.

Ashli Becker (Yankton, SD)
5th place – Organizational Behavior & Leadership
6th place – Marketing Concepts

Becker holds the trophy while she shakes hands.

Ashli Becker accepts a trophy.

 

Haley Benedict (Springfield, NE)
1st place – Desktop Publishing *
1st place – Integrated Marketing Campaign *
1st place – Website Design *
3rd place – Future Business Executive

Benedict is holding the trophy.

Haley Benedict receiving a first place trophy.

Dawn Castle (Imperial, NE)
2nd place – Business Communication *
4th place – Retail Management

Castle holds the certificate while she shakes hands.

Dawn Castle accepts a certificate.

Rachael Cole (Wymore, NE)
2nd place – Entrepreneurship Concepts *
2nd place – Local Chapter Annual Business Report *
3rd place – Accounting for Professionals
5th place – Programming Concepts

Cole is holding the trophy.

Rachael Cole accepting a first place trophy for Strategic Analysis & Decision Making.

Rozlyn Cole (Wymore, NE)
6th place – Retail Management
6th place – Statistical Analysis


(Photo of Cole with team event results.)

Hannah Cook (Ponca, NE)
1st place – Help Desk *
2nd place – Organizational Behavior & Leadership *

Albers and Cook hold the trophy together and they shake hands.

Hannah Cook receives a first place trophy from Kendra Alberts.

Anthony De Abreu (Caracas, Venezuela)
1st place – Justice Administration *
2nd place – Help Desk *
3rd place – Computer Concepts *
5th place – Client Services

De Abreau is looking away from the camera.

Anthony De Abreu accepting a first place trophy.

Ashlyn Draper (Lincoln, NE)
7th place – Marketing Concepts

 

Chaz Dunn (Falls City, NE)
2nd place – Global Analysis & Decision Making *
3rd place – Forensic Accounting
3rd place – Network Design

 

Sara Granfors (Seward, NE)
4th place – Computer Applications
4th place – Organizational Behavior & Leadership


(Photo of Gransfors with team events.)

Lindsay Harlow (Dawson, NE)
4th place – Entrepreneurship Concepts
8th place – Management Concepts
Who’s Who in Nebraska PBL

Harlow is holding the certificate and shaking Harshbarger's hand.

Lindsay Harlow receiving a certificate for Who's Who in Nebraska PBL from Nebraska PBL State Advisor Ted Harsbarger.

Noah Harvey (Auburn, NE)
1st place – Impromptu Speaking *
4th place – Personal Finance
5th place – Public Speaking

Harvey is holding the trophy.

Noah Harvey accepting a first place trophy.

Alexandra Kenney (Milford, NE)
2nd place – Financial Services *
3rd place – Help Desk
3rd place – Sales Presentation

Kenny is shaking hands while holding the trophy.

Alexandra Kenney accept a trophy.

Spencer Kerwin (Omaha, NE)
3rd place – Client Services
5th place – Help Desk


(Kerwin photos with team events.)

JT Lonnborg (Beatrice, NE)
5th place – Justice Administration
6th place – Client Services
6th place – Computer Concepts
8th place – Help Desk

Lonnborg holds the certificate while he shakes hands.

JT Lonnborg accepts an award certificate.

Brenda Lutz (Rock Port, MO)
1st place – Computer Applications *
1st place – Small Business Management Plan *
4th place – Help Desk

Lutz is holding the trophy.>

Brenda Lutz accepting a first place trophy.

Trey Nelson (Lincoln, NE)
4th place – Client Services


(Nelson photo with team events.)

Tristen Nelson (Lincoln, NE)
2nd place – Client Services *
2nd place – Job Interview *


(Nelson photo with team events.)

Christopher Nwafor (Lagos, Nigeria)
3rd place – Future Business Educator
4th place – Macroeconomics
4th place – Public Speaking
6th place – Sales Presentation
8th place – Microeconomics

Nwafor is holding the certificate while shaking hands.

Christopher Nwafor accepts a certificate for fourth place.

Morgan Peabody (Morrill, KS)
8th place – Networking Concepts

 

Scott Riley (Auburn, NE)
2nd place – Future Business Executive *
2nd place – Impromptu Speaking *
3rd place – Small Business Management Plan
4th place – Job Interview
6th place – Help Desk
Who’s Who in Nebraska PBL

Riley holds the certificate while shaking Harsbarger's hand.

Scott Riley receiving a certificate for Who's Who in Nebraska PBL from Nebraska PBL State Advisor Ted Harsbarger.

Brooke Rudebusch (Moorpark, California)
2nd place – Contemporary Sports Issues *

 

Camie Stratman (Hartington, NE)
2nd place – Public Speaking *
5th place – Human Resource Management

Stratman holds the trophy while she shakes Riley's hand.

Cammie Stratman receives a second place trophy from Nebraska PBL President Scott Riley.

Jacey Sutton (Wahoo, NE)
4th place – Small Business Management Plan

Sutton shakes hands while accepting the certificate.

Jacey Sutton accepts a certificate.

Team Events-----(students listed in alphabetical order; an * indicates automatic national qualifier in this event)

Ryan Arnold & Amanda Jo Cleek Arnold (Houston, TX)
1st place – Mobile Application Development *
2nd place – Business Law *
3rd place – Marketing Analysis & Decision Making

 

Ashli Becker & Velma Hauck (Fremont, NE)
2nd place – Small Business Management Plan *

 

Rachael Cole & Lindsay Harlow
3rd place – Website Design

 

Rozlyn Cole, Sara Granfors & Spencer Kerwin
1st place – Strategic Analysis & Decision Making *

 

Granfors is holding the trophy.

Sara Granfors accepts a first place trophy.

Hannah Cook & Velma Hauck
2nd place – Hospitality Management *
2nd place – Human Resource Management *

Hauk holds the trophy while she shakes hands.

Velma Hauk accepts a trophy.

 

Hannah Cook & JT Lonnborg

3rd place – Emerging Business Issues

 

Lindsay Harlow & Brook Hays (Oxford, NE)
1st place – Forensic Accounting *
3rd place – Financial Services
3rd place – Strategic Analysis & Decision Making
5th place – Small Business Management Plan

Hays holds the trophy while shaking hands.

Brook Hays accepts a first place trophy.

Lindsay Harlow, Brooke Hays & Sara Granfors
3rd place – Accounting Analysis & Decision Making

 

Nadja Janjevic (Podgorica, Montenegro) & Yorgelys Jaspe (San Carols, Costa Rica)
3rd place – Business Presentation

Janjevic holds the certificate while shaking hands.

Nadja Janjevic accepts a certificate.

Jaspe holds the certificate while shaking hands.

Yorgelys Jaspe accepts a certificate.

 

Nadja Janjevic, Yorgelys Jaspe & Paulius Sakinis (Klaipėda, Lithuania)
3rd place – Global Analysis & Decision Making

Sakinis holds the certificate while shaking hands.

Paulius Sakinis accepts a certificate.

Spencer Kerwin & Noah Temme (Fairmont, NE)
1st place – Community Service Project (The CHANCE Initiative & AmeriCorps work) *

Kerwin is shown without his teammates.

Spencer Kerwin accepts a first place trophy.>

Temme is not shown with a trophy.

Noah Temme congratulated on his first place finish.

Tristen Nelson & Trey Nelson
1st place – Business Decision Making *
1st place – Management Analysis & Decision Making *
2nd place – Economic Analysis & Decision Making *
2nd place – Financial Analysis & Decision Making *

Riley and Trey Nelson are holding the trophy. Tristen stands behind, out of some camera shots.

Trey Nelson accepting a first place trophy from Scott Riley. Tristen Nelson stands ready to receive his trophy.

Trey Nelson, Tristen Nelson, Brooke Hays, Rozlyn Cole & Noah Harvey
1st place – Parliamentary Procedure *

Cole holds the trophy and shakes hands.

Rozlyn Cole accepting a first place trophy.Alex Bowman, Tyler Harms, and Meredie Ludwig also competed this year for Peru State PBL.

Additional Awards

Jeff Harvey was named Businessperson of the Year.

Sheri Grotrian-Ryan was named Advisor of the Year.

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