On Friday and Saturday, March 4-5, students from schools across the state will gather at Sterling College to take part in the Phi Beta Lambda Spring State Leadership Conference. Phi Beta Lambda is the collegiate subdivision of Future Business Leaders of America, and Sterling College has been a member of this organization since 2011.

“The Sterling College PBL chapter is excited to be able to host the 2016 spring state leadership conference on campus. Without the help of our PBL students, hosting this event would not be remotely possible. I am very proud of the time and effort the PBL students have put into organizing and preparing for this event,” said Timothy Thorpe, assistant professor of business.

Sterling College hosted the fall PBL state conference in 2013 and 2014, but the spring conference is a little different. Rather than participating in team-building exercises and leadership training, students will compete in 60 different individual and team events, ranging from microeconomics to cyber security. If students receive top rankings, they will have the opportunity to compete at the national conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 29-July 2, 2016.

"I am so excited to host the state conference this year. I have been involved with PBL since my freshman year, and with FBLA before that. To end my time in PBL by planning the spring conference is so rewarding. We will have students from all over the state competing in events, and we will hear from some great speakers throughout the weekend. This conference is a great learning experience and a really fun event to be a part of," said Jennifer Fruechting, president of Sterling College’s PBL chapter.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.