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MCCC Students
Recognized with Top Honors
At the FBLA-Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference
8/1/12
West
Windsor, N.J. - Eight students from Mercer County Community
College were among 1,700 student leaders from two- and four-year
schools across the country who attended the National Leadership
Conference of the Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta
Lambda (FBLA-PBL), held in San Antonio, TX, from June 24-27.
The FBLA-PBL is the nation's largest and oldest student business
organization.
In addition
to expanding their networks, students participated in more
than 55 business and business-related competitive events.
Three MCCC students - Jose Rodriguez of Trenton, Anderson
Monken of Lawrenceville, and Amber Hinshaw of Hightstown -
earned National Awards of Excellence at the concluding ceremony
on June 27. Rodriguez placed third nationally in Business
Decision-Making (team), and ninth nationally in Sports Marketing
and Management, bringing his total to four national PBL awards
during his two years as part of Mercer's Future Business Leaders
team. Monken, who will serve as the president of Mercer's
Student Government Association for the coming academic year,
placed third nationally in Business Decision Making (team)
and sixth nationally in Public Speaking. Hinshaw placed fourth
nationally in Retail Management.
Rodriguez,
who serves as MCCC's local PBL chapter president and the state
chapter's membership director, notes that students who attended
the national conference were all winners in competitions held
at the state level. (New Jersey's annual competition is held
on the MCCC campus in March.) "This was a great opportunity
to practice leadership skills and network with the 'Best of
the Best' from other schools," he said. He adds that
the experience enhances his resume in a way that no class
could. A graduate of Nottingham High School, Rodriguez will
graduate in December with a degree in Business Administration,
with plans to transfer to a four-year school and double major
in Business Management and Political Science.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Rodriguez said, "The
amount of work, energy and determination that it took to get
here was well worth it. This is an experience that no other
student organization can offer its members. On behalf of the
entire MCCC chapter, we're honored to have had the opportunity
to represent our school and community."
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Students
who attended the FBLA-PBL National Conference in June included,
from left, Xue Ling Lee of Princeton, Timothy Hoffman of East
Windsor, Anderson Monken of Lawrenceville,Jose Rodriguez of
Trenton, Alex Henry of Cranbury, and Melanie Hicks of Hamilton.
Not pictured: Rubina Shaikh, Amber Hinshaw and Susan Thatcher-Longo.
Monken, Rodriguez and Hinshaw were award winners at the conference's
competitive events.
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Anderson
Monken, left, and Jose Rodriguez placed third nationally in
team competition in Business Decision-Making. In individual
categories, Monken, who will serve as the president of Mercer's
Student Government Association for the coming academic year,
placed sixth nationally in Public Speaking and Rodriguez placed
ninth in Sports Marketing and Management. Rodriguez serves as
MCCC's local PBL chapter president and the state FBLA-PBL chapter's
membership director. |
Monken
added, "Employers are looking for students who are doing
more and delving deeper. FBLA provides experiences in how
the real world works. You can take as many classes as you
like, but these activities teach us how things get done in
the work setting." Monken will complete his associate
degree in Liberal Arts in May 2013 and plans to earn his bachelor's
degree in government and politics.
The students gratefully acknowledge the mentoring and guidance
of MCCC Business Professor Ellen Benowitz, who serves as the
organization's state chairwoman and is on the FBLA's National
Board. "She encourages us to spend the extra time to
get involved and understand the value of learning that goes
on outside the classroom," Rodriguez said.
For many
students, the conference was the capstone of their academic
careers. In addition to the competitions, students immersed
themselves in educational workshops, toured conference exhibits
and attended motivational keynotes that covered an array of
business topics.
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