(May 1, 2008) The Stanly Community College (SCC) chapter of Phi Beta Lambda received the state organization’s top award at the group’s recent State Leadership Conference.
Stanly, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, and Barton College were named the 2008 North Carolina PBL “Gold Seal Chapters” at a formal awards banquet which concluded the conference at the North Raleigh Hilton. Travis McKenzie, chapter president, accepted the award from Ms. Claudia Skinner, the NC Department of Public Instruction’s Chief Consultant for Business Education, and Rachel Loescher, national PBL vice president.
The three chapters become North Carolina’s nominees for National “Gold Seal Chapter” recognition at the up-coming National Leadership Conference at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta at the end of June.
Meeting over a three-day period, the state conference included competition in a number of business and leadership areas, as well as keynote speakers, a leadership seminar series, and the election of state officers.
A Barton College student was elected as state president for 2008-2009. Destiny Brown, a Business Administration student at SCC, was elected as state secretary-treasurer. Her campaign theme was “Don’t Monkey Around – Vote Brown!” The campaign included a quiz on famous people and places named “Brown,” as well as monkey-shaped suckers and banana candy.
The SCC team won First Place in the Parliamentary Procedure competition. Team members Travis McKenzie, John Anderson, Darlene Alexander, Cali Clay, and Destiny Brown did a written test on ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER to become one of the five finalist teams along with Wake Technical Community College, North Carolina Central University, Campbell University, and Blue Ridge Community College. The finalists performed a sample business meeting, and the scores from the two components determined the final ranking.
Also qualifying for national competition were Dawn Eason in the Job Interview event and John Anderson in the Future Business Executive event.
“It was an exciting conference for the Stanly chapter,” commented Dan Hazlett, one of the PBL faculty advisers, “and we were especially pleased that all ten of the SCC delegates were on stage to receive awards.”
Crystal Dennis, Brandi Rummage, and Dawn Eason received Third Place in the Business Decision Making team event, and Bryan De Castro and Chandler Johnson placed Fifth and Third, respectively, in the Help Desk event. Ms. Dennis also received Fourth Place in Sales Presentation, and Ms. Clay also received Fourth Place in Microeconomics.
The chapter’s 30-page document received Third Place in the Chapter Annual Business Report event.
Mr. McKenzie and Ms. Eason were inducted into “Who’s Who in North Carolina Phi Beta Lambda.” Both have served as chapter officers and have participated in state and national activities, including being members of the SCC Parliamentary Procedure team that placed Second in the state but went on to place Sixth in the nation at the 2007 National Leadership Conference in Chicago.
During the Opening Ceremonies of the conference, SCC was named as one of the 14 chapters to receive the “Terry Lowrance Chapter Leadership Award” for obtaining a list of state and national goals. Mr. Lowrance’s widow, Kay, attended the conference and presented the plaques as well as special ribbons for chapter delegates to wear on their nametags.
National FBLA-PBL, Inc., Board of Directors member Sonya O’Brien from Mount Olive College presented Crystal Dennis with a national Career & Membership Achievement Program award. Ms. Dennis was among five North Carolina students who completed one of the three tiers of the CMAP program. A highlight of Ms. O’Brien’s presentation was recognizing Tabitha Skipper of Pfeiffer College, one of only four PBL members in the country who completed the highest CMAP level.
Keynote speakers for the conference included Dr. June Atkinson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Mr. Nat Hyde from Bank of America.
A series of six leadership seminars was held throughout the weekend. Presenting one on Leadership Characteristics was Rick Gardner, a former Stanly Community College and state PBL president who is now employed at Food Lion’s corporate offices.
Another former SCC and state president, Clarence Goode, assisted at the conference as a member of the NC PBL Professional Division.
During the business session for the Professional Division, Stanly graduates Tonya Woessner and Elizabeth Moore were elected as state PD vice president and secretary-treasurer, respectively. Michael Coffey, a graduate of Appalachian State University and an employee at Lowe’s corporate offices, was elected as president of the Professional (alumni) Division.
The conference was the 54th Annual Leadership Conference for NC Phi Beta Lambda, and Stanly Community College has attended each of the 33 conferences since being chartered in 1975. The Atlanta meeting will be the thirty-first national conference in which SCC students have qualified to attend.
“We are proud of our students and the consistent efforts of our PBL chapter,” commented Dr. Mike Taylor, SCC President. “We are always glad for the college to receive awards, but we are also pleased when our students have the opportunity to serve as local and state officers and obtain leadership skills that will enhance their academic preparation. On behalf of the trustees and the entire college staff, it is a pleasure to congratulate the students and Advisers Merlin Amirtharaj, Tammi McIlwaine, and Dan Hazlett on another successful PBL year. The entire college shares their excitement as they prepare for national competition in Atlanta.”
Pictured above is the Parliament Procedures Team (L-R) Destiny Brown, Cali Clay, Travis McKenzie, and John Anderson. Not pictured: Darlene Alexander.
PBL State Secretary-Treasurer Destiny Brown (left) and Campaign Team Member Darlene Alexander take a break and pose in front of Destiny’s campaign booth.