PBL Elevates to Top Finishes

Goodwell, Okla. — “Elevate Your Future” was the theme for this year’s Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Baltimore and Oklahoma Panhandle State University students certainly did that very thing securing six top 10 finishes and a National Championship in Accounting Analysis and Decision Making.

The team of twin brothers Aaron and Cameron Hammett and Sarah Smith combined forces to bring home the national title.

The team commented, “We are so grateful for the opportunities that OPSU has given us that made winning possible. We could not have made it this far without our amazing professors and teammates supporting us the whole way.”

Top 10 finishes were as follows:
Cameron Hammett- fourth place in Cost Accounting
Madison Dearmin and Sam Lemin- fifth in Accounting Analysis and Decision Making
Madilyn Rider- sixth place in Information Management, sixth place in Desktop Publishing
Ely Esquivel- seventh in Client Service
Aaron Hammett- ninth place in Cost Accounting

Panhandle State also received sixth place in Local Annual Chapter Business Report, which was submitted by the group’s Executive Council. In addition, Panhandle State’s Dr. Sara Hitch received the Outstanding Local Chapter Advisor award for Oklahoma.

Dr. Hitch and Davin Winger rechartered the chapter in 2009 and went to the first NLC in 2012. Since that time, the group has earned 28 Top 10 National Finishes (including one National Championship in 2014) and two Open Event National Champions. This year’s awards bring the overall total to 35 Top 10 finishes in seven years.

Panhandle State students had the opportunity to attend activities in addition to the conference including a chance to exhibit their escape skills in the Charm City Clue Room and an evening watching the Baltimore Orioles.

Another trip highlight was the opportunity to interact with University President Dr. Tim Faltyn as he made the trip to Baltimore to support the students.

Faltyn commented, “Our PBL is amazing. With these students the future of the Panhandle is as bright as it can be.”

He continued, “I’m just as proud of our faculty who take the raw talent of our students and shape them into some of the best in the nation at what they do. Dean Winger, Dr. Hitch, and Mrs. Harris do a great job of getting them prepared for this experience. So much goes into this and they make it look easy.”

Over 2000 students were in attendance at the conference, which is a highlight of the PBL experience. PBL groups from across the country gathered to compete in various business events, share their successes, and learn new ideas about shaping their career futures through workshops and exhibits.

Panhandle State students attending the conference included: Jocelynn Avalos of Guymon, Okla.; Skylar Behne of Guymon, Okla.; Madison Dearmin of Balko, Okla.; Ely Esquivel of Guymon, Okla.; Alexandra Garcia of Plainview, Texas; Selina Gaucin of Guymon, Okla.; Aaron Hammett of Boyd, Texas; Cameron Hammett of Boyd, Texas; Sam Lemin of Canberra, ACT, Australia; Madilyn Rider of Guymon, Okla.; Jorge Rosas of Felt, Okla.; Ami Torres of Guymon, Okla.; and Sarah Smith of Ulysses, Kan.

Advisers attending included Robyn Harris, Sara Hitch, and Davin Winger.