Heartland students post in national top-10 at PBL competition

Three Heartland Community College students placed in national competition during the Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference. 

More than 2,000 students representing 44 colleges and universities from across the country convened in-person for the Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL) 2022 National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Chicago. The event connected collegiate-level students through competitive events, leadership sessions, and networking. 

Bryce Tuebel of Fairbury, IL and Cade Walder of Congerville placed second in the Business Ethics team event. 

Joni Russell of Pontiac placed sixth in the Business Communications category. 

Rodney Billerbeck of Cullom also competed in Retail Management and Job Interview categories, having placed in the top 3 in the PBL state competition. 

The students were joined at the conference by advisors Veronica Inselmann, HCC Associate Director of Apprenticeships and Work-Based Programs and Megan Kayfish, Associate Director, Career and Technical Education (CTE). 

“We are so proud of the work and effort these students put into preparing for their events. They represent the Heartland Community College in a great way,” said Inselmann. “The state and national PBL competitions provide amazing opportunities for our students to grow professionally. The experiences and relationships they gain from these events will be useful throughout their professional lives.” 

At PBL conferences, students compete and attend workshops as well as listen to keynote addresses. Through this event and competition, students apply and showcase the knowledge and skills they’ve developed in the classroom. 

Students interested in Heartland’s Phi Beta Lambda organization can discover more about the program and its opportunities at www.heartland.edu/pbl .