Penn State Schuylkill student Carter Strouse poses with his first place trophy at the FBLA National Leadership Conference.
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — A Penn State Schuylkill student earned national recognition at the Future Business Leaders of America's (FBLA) National Leadership Conference (NLC), held June 6-8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event attracted college students, educators and volunteers from across the country and provided education, competition and networking opportunities centered on business.
Representing Penn State Schuylkill's FBLA Collegiate chapter, Carter Strouse, a third-year corporate communication major with a minor in business and the sports certificate, earned first place in Business Communication at the conference, outperforming competitors from colleges and universities across the country.
Business Communication is a production event that requires competitors to respond to an unknown real-world business scenario and produce professional communications within one hour. This year's competition tasked students with creating an internal memo, a client letter and an executive brief after a software update delayed appointment reminders for patients using a medical communication platform.
"I had to produce three documents that required a lot of information in only one hour," Strouse said. "Effective time management was the key to getting everything completed. I'm very proud to say that in my third time attending FBLA's National Leadership Conference, I finally placed first in Business Communication. I'm already excited about defending my first-place finish at next year's conference in Columbus, Ohio."
Strouse's national title marks the culmination of years of improvement in the competition. As a first-year student, he placed second at the state conference and seventh nationally in Orlando. During his second year, he again placed second at the state conference and finished eighth nationally in Dallas. This year, he won both the Pennsylvania state title and the national championship in Las Vegas, earning a $300 cash prize for his first-place finish.
Also earning national recognition was Alex Kull, a third-year business marketing and management major with a minor in criminal justice, who placed fourth in Parliamentary Procedure and received the Dorothy L. Travis Award at the FBLA National Leadership Conference.
"Watching Carter's persistence and dedication pay off with a national championship has been incredibly rewarding," said Lisa Robinson, business lecturer and FBLA Collegiate adviser at Penn State Schuylkill. "Both Carter and Alex exemplify the professionalism, leadership and commitment to excellence that FBLA encourages. Their accomplishments showcase not only their talents but also the opportunities available to our students through experiential learning and competition."
More than 1,300 attendees from nearly 200 colleges and universities in 29 U.S. states and territories competed in 42 business-related events for scholarships and cash prizes totaling nearly $60,000. Students also had the opportunity to participate in 60 learning workshops and connect with representatives from more than 20 colleges, universities and employers, including the Alzheimer's Association, BusinessU, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP), FICO, Funds2Orgs, Kendra Scott, Men's Wearhouse, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard.
Additionally, student members heard from Jared Ebersole, an FBLA high school alumnus and co-founder of Lectec, who shared his journey from FBLA member to "Shark Tank" entrepreneur and discussed what it takes to build, fail and lead.
"This year's National Leadership Conference showcased the incredible talent and dedication of our student members," said FBLA President and CEO Jennifer Woods. "From analytical thinking to dynamic communication, they demonstrated the skills that will shape tomorrow's workforce. These college students leave Las Vegas not only with well-earned recognition, but also with new connections, confidence and a clearer path toward their future careers."
