Virginia State University students recently excelled at the Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference and Competition. The VSU Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda – Future Business Leaders of America delivered an outstanding performance at the event hosted by University of Virginia.
Competing against top institutions like UVA, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, George Mason and Christopher Newport, VSU students earned first- and second-place awards in most events. They showcased their excellence in areas such as accounting, business communication, ethics, cybersecurity, marketing and more.
“I am truly impressed with the outstanding accomplishments of the Virginia State University FBLA Collegiate Chapter. Securing 14 first-place and 11 second-place awards is a remarkable achievement that reflects their hard work, dedication and excellence,” Dr. Aurelia Donald, professor of business at VSU, said. “As they prepare to compete at the national level in Dallas, Texas, I wish them continued success. I am confident they will represent Virginia State University, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Reginald F. Lewis College of Business with pride and distinction.”
Virginia State University students take a group pose before competing in a Future Business Leaders of America collegiate competition at University of Virginia in April 2025.
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2025 FBLA State Leadership Conference and Competition: VSU results
VSU students’ results for FBLA collegiate competitive event at UVA:
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Katelyn Bendinsky (accounting major), Gabrielle Gunn (accounting), Simone Jones (accounting) and Bob Obiora (accounting) won the Accounting Case competition.
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Jillian Lavender (accounting) won the Business Communication competition.
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Elise Thomas (accounting) won the Business Ethics competition.
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Amiyah Ponton (management) and Janayah Loveless (accounting) won the Community Service Project competition.
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Amiyah Ponton won the Computer Applications competition.
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Elijah Adams (accounting), King Maxwell (economics) and Shane Roach (management) finished second in the Emerging Business Issues competition.
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Tania Outland (management) won the Entrepreneurship Pitch competition.
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Nyalynn Cherry (accounting), Nayima Green (accounting) and Jillian Lavender finished second in the Finance Case competition.
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Katelyn Bendinsky won the Foundations of Accounting competition.
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Zania Lawton (management) finished second in the Foundations of Management competition.
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Camron Cooper (marketing) finished third in the Foundations of Marketing competition.
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Renee Ogoh (accounting) won the Foundations of Technology competition.
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Lauren Johnson (management) finished second in the Future Business Executive competition.
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Makayla Robinson (management) finished second in the Hospitality Management Case competition.
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Tania Outland finished second in the Impromptu Speaking competition.
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Elise Thomas won the Job Interview competition.
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Zania Lawton and Dayl Thomas (management) finished second in the Management Case competition.
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Elijah Adams, Camron Cooper and Nylan Taylor (marketing) won the Marketing, Sales & Communication Case competition.
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Lauren Johnson finished third in the Organizational Behavior & Leadership competition.
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Bob Obiora finished second in the Parliamentary Procedure competition.
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Shane Roach finished third in the Project Management competition.
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Janayah Loveless won the Public Speaking competition. Jasmine Fallen (management) finished second in the Retail Management competition.
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Makayla Robinson won the State of Chapter Presentation competition.
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Jasmine Fallen finished third in the Supply Chain Management competition.
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Due to their stellar performance, the VSU students qualified to attend the 2025 FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference May 31-June 3 in Dallas. They will compete in leadership events, learn new ideas about shaping their career future through workshops and exhibits, and share their successes.
“Our students’ achievement speaks volumes about their hard work, knowledge and collaborative spirit,” Dr. Emmanuel Omojokun, dean of the Reginald F. Lewis College of Business at VSU, said. “Their performance not only highlights individual strengths but also the caliber of our business program.”
Congratulations, FBLA Trojans of VSU, on earning 14 gold, 11 silver and 3 bronze medals at the State Leadership Conference! Follow VSU Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda – Future Business Leaders of America on Instagram @vsufbla.
Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly, an award-winning columnist, is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index voted the 2022 Tri-Cities Best of the Best Social Media Personality. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at [email protected], follow @KHiggins_PI on X and @socialbutterflykristi on Instagram.
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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: VSU students qualify for Future Business Leaders of America nationals
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