Students Earn 28 Awards in PBL State Competition

Emporia, Kansas– At the 2022 Kansas Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) State Leadership Conference 12 Central students competed and qualified for nationals this summer in Chicago, Illinois. This year’s conference was hosted by Emporia State University on March 5, 2022.

For the first time since Covid, students were able to gather in person to compete against some of the best and the brightest from across the state. Kansas PBL had seven institutions represented this year including Pittsburg State University, Emporia State University, Butler Community College, Labette Community College, Kansas State University, and University of St. Mary. Central was honored to be named the largest chapter in the state for the third year in a row.

Students who attended had the opportunity to not only compete but to also take advantage of workshops, networking opportunities, stand for professional headshots, and engage with industry professionals. This year’s keynote speaker, Pete Najera the President and CEO of United Way of the Plains, challenged the participants to not only develop the skills being taught in the classroom but the soft skills learned in things like PBL. As well as, the importance of cultivating strong character during college and its importance in the workplace.

Central students competed in a variety of events ranging from Hospitality Management to Forensic Accounting, Job Interview to Cyber Security. Event types are made up of 100 question objective tests and presentations that are built around the industry of the event. This year they gave over 15 presentations during the course of the morning and afternoon, where they had to use provide creative and unique solutions to real life problems and situations. When asked about their experience the following students replied with,

“It was a wonderful learning experience where it gave me the opportunity to improve my problem-solving thinking and find solutions in a short amount of time.” Edoardo Salmaso, sophomore from Due Carrare, Italy

“State was a great experience, not only did we all learn a lot through our competitions and workshops, but we also all qualified for Nationals this summer. I had a fun time with all my teammates, and I am super excited to go to nationals with them.” Lisette Whiteside, December graduate from Issaquah, WA

“I’m really glad I chose to start this project, I think it’s the most practical transaction from theoretical topics to practical. The fact that we have the chance to compete and being judged from professional people gives us the experience that we need to succeed.” Riccardo Di Vincenzo, sophomore from Custonaci, Italy

During the awards session Central was awarded 28 awards including three students who were awarded the honor of being a Kansas Who’s Who recipient. The awards were as follows:

Chapter adviser, Heath Whitehouse, CC’09, commented, “With all the challenges faced and the limited experience of our group, once again, our students (including alumni) showed their quality and abilities among their peers. Our program continues in the excellence of attracting, developing, and showcasing Christ-centered educated students that the professional marketplace perceives as valuable and needed.”

To see some photos from their time check out the campus Flickr account. Central PBL will be traveling to Chicago, Illinois this June to compete at the National Conference. To support their trip go to Ccckfoundation.org/donate-now.

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About Central Christian College of Kansas

Central Christian College of Kansas is a regionally accredited institution offering undergraduate and graduate-level programs. Central strives to offer Christ-centered education for the whole person – heart, mind, soul, and strength. Its history dates back to 1884, and it is located in the friendly town of McPherson, Kansas. Central is a strategically small college that offers over forty areas of residential study and a thriving online program for non-traditional students. To learn more about Central PBL go to our Business Page.