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Home ― News ― DSU Phi Beta Lambda members receive top awards in national conference

Phi Beta Lambda students receive top awards

July 19, 2016

Six students from Dakota State University’s Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) chapter recently traveled to Atlanta, Ga. to compete in the 2016 PBL National Leadership Conference. Over 2000 undergraduate students from across the nation were at this year’s event. Along with many other components to the conference, the main feature is a series of competitive events in over 40 areas. These included tests in academic areas such as business communications, finance and economics, and performance/skill events including job interview, impromptu speaking and Future Business Executive.

Each DSU member qualified in two events and competed against up to 99 of the best students in the nation in any given area. Of the six students that competed, four students earned a combined six top ten finishes.

“As you might expect, a top 10 finish is quite a challenge and a top three performance is exceedingly rare,” said DSU professor and PBL advisor, Dr. Dan Talley.

Top awards by DSU students at the conference include:

  • Tyler Johnson, a senior computer and network security/cyber operations major from Sisseton, S.D. – 2nd in Cyber-Security; 6th in Networking Concepts
  • Thomas Lange, a junior cyber operations major from Bridgewater, S.D. – 2nd in Networking Concepts; 10th in Cyber-Security
  • Cassandra Morgan, a senior business administration in accounting major from Alexandria, S.D. – 6th in Business Communications
  • Colin Miles, a senior business administration in management and accounting major from Colman, S.D. – 9th in Contemporary Sports Issues

In addition, DSU PBL President Casey Bethke, a senior business administration major from Pierre, S.D., and Secretary Kelly Brusven, a senior digital arts and design major specializing in computer graphics from Pierre, S.D., attended the conference.

In order to qualify for the national conference, participants must place in a Regional PBL Spring Leadership Conference. This year’s regional competition in Des Moines, Iowa yielded a second place finish for DSU overall and every single student that participated placed in the top five. Eight Dakota State students qualified for the national conference with six able to attend.

The PBL organization also received the Award for Academic Excellence from the SD Board of Regents in June.

Photo: PBL received the Award for Academic Excellence from the SD Board of Regents. Pictured:  Lynette Molstad Gorder, Co-Advisor for DSU PBL Business Club; Thomas Lange (Bridgewater, S.D.); Kelly Brusven (Pierre, S.D.); and Casey Bethke (Pierre, S.D.); José-Marie Griffiths, DSU President; Mike Rush, BOR Executive Director; and Randy Schaefer, BOR President.