Peru, Nebraska – Peru State College students competed in the 2021-2022 Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Chicago, earning eight top-ten national awards. Kelsi Leininger — a senior business administration major from Shenandoah, IA — won two national championships, in Business Sustainability and Strategic Analysis & Decision Making.

Leininger said, “The 2022 PBL NLC in Chicago not only allowed me to gain valuable experience in all things business, but also allowed me to meet new people and gain new perspectives. I’m so grateful for all the amazing experiences this organization has awarded me.”

Dr. Sheri Grotrian, professor of business and PBL advisor, said, “It’s great for Peru State to have another national champion to add to the list—Kelsi is extremely deserving of her awards.”

Grotrian added, "I’m very pleased with the effort that many of the PBL members put forth this year considering the difficulty in achieving traditional levels of student engagement, and I’m exceptionally happy that 5 students chose to pursue the opportunity for national competition.”

Of the five students, four placed in the Top 10. The following is a listing of the individual winners for the Peru State College PBL Chapter:

Kelsi Leininger

1st place –Business Sustainability

1st place –Strategic Analysis & Decision Making

5th place –Business Executive 

Austin Guhde-Egger —  senior computer & management information systems and management major from Auburn

5th place – Information Management

7th place –Networking Concepts

Azlyn Fendrick – junior marketing major from Lincoln

9th place – Future Business Executive

Noah Kreifels — junior management and marketing major from Auburn

9th place – Personal Finance

10th place — Financial Concepts

In addition, Shea Kinnison —senior business administration major from Nebraska City — made it to Finals in Job Interview & Public Speaking. 

Grotrian added, “Without the support of the College and the community with our fundraisers, students would not be able to have these experiences.”

PBL is a state and national business and leadership association. The competition focused on a wide range of business and leadership-related tests, including subjects ranging from financial analysis and economic concepts to human resource management and business ethics.

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