DSU FBLA achieves national success

July 25, 2024

Dakota State University business students are dynamic competitors.

Every DSU student who competed in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) state competition qualified for nationals. After the national competition in June, two returned home with first place and several others came in the top 10 nationally.

The 12 DSU competitors who chose to attend the national FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida also attended educational workshops and took advantage of networking opportunities.

Max Weins earned first place in computer science, and Casey Olson was first in computer applications.

Olson is from Fergus Falls, Minn., and competed at nationals for the first time this year.  She is a second year Professional Accountancy major with minors in Computer Information Systems and Computer Science.

“It was kind of nerve-racking since everyone had to qualify to reach nationals, so you know that other people competing in your group event knew what to study and how to take the test successfully,” she said.

To prepare for nationals, she reviewed her notes and assignments from past classes and studied terminology related to the categories she was competing in.

In the computer applications category, there were two parts, ending with a 100-question exam taken in the testing room at nationals. Olson was thrilled to learn she came in first place.

“As the announcer was naming the placements I kept thinking the next place was going to be me,” Olson said. “By the time it got to fourth place and my name still hadn’t been said, I thought, ‘Wow, I really have a shot at winning this thing.’”

She added, “When my name wasn’t announced for second place, my jaw literally dropped, and my mom got an embarrassing picture of me on the livestream.”

Olson also came in third place in foundations of marketing, which she credits to the recent knowledge she gained from taking a marketing class with Dr. Deb Tech last semester.

“It felt really good to know that studying and paying attention in class paid off, not just for one event but two,” she said.

DSU FBLA top 10 placements at nationals:

• First place in computer applications: Casey Olson
• First place in foundations of computer science: Max Weins
• Third place in foundations of entrepreneurship: Ephrata Yared Feyissa
• Third place in foundations of marketing: Casey Olson
• Fifth place in foundations of communications: Joelle Malacko
• Fifth place in foundations of economics: Kalani Mangin
• Fifth place in foundations of computer science: Olamide Olosunde
• Seventh place in foundations of technology: Olamide Olosunde
• Eighth place in foundations of selling: Garret Leiseth

“These results in both business and technology-focused events should make everyone proud of DSU in those academic areas,” said Dr. Dan Talley, Professor of Economics and Statistics and MBA Coordinator for the College of Business & Information Systems.

“And credit goes to Brenda Merkel and Yenling Chang for their impressive dedication to DSU FBLA as co-advisors,” he added.

Merkel expressed deep gratitude for the academic and financial support the FBLA club received throughout the year.

“Without that help, conferences and competitions would not be possible,” she said. “The guidance and encouragement students receive have been instrumental in the FBLA members’ journey.”