By Hope Sandusky/nw news editor
NW students Owen Baker and Chris Chavez have qualified for nationals in the Business Professionals of America competition.
At this year’s State Leadership Conference in Dallas, Baker placed first in prepared speech, and Chavez placed first for college accounting. Both students will advance for the national competition in Anaheim, Calif., in May.
“BPA is not your average club,” Chavez said. “It took the knowledge I already had and increased it exponentially.”
Students can compete in Workplace Skills Assessment programs, starting at the regional level and moving on up.
“The purpose of the competitions is to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate the skills used in their desired field,” said BPA sponsor and business and economic associate professor Julie Russell.
Baker said the BPA competition drives students to be better.
“I feel that being a member puts us on a higher standard as students since we are a competitive group,” he said. “The competition drives us faster and harder.”
Chavez first joined BPA after being encouraged by Russell and Baker.
Baker was already involved in BPA when he first met Russell while teaching a New Student Orientation session with her.
“We started talking about student groups on campus, and she mentioned BPA,” he said. “Since I am a business student, I was instantly hooked.”
Both Baker and Chavez give credit to BPA sponsors Russell and Jaye Simpson for their success.
“My success can be directly attributed to the support from Jaye Simpson and Julie Russell,” Chavez said. “They have been an integral part of my success as a BPA competitor. They push us to be successful and motivate us to preserve.”
Baker also said he attributes the help he gets from NW speech instructor Zach Frohlich for why he has done so well in the competitions.
“Zach Frohlich has been instrumental to my success,” he said. “He works with me on my speech delivery every week. Every day, my speech content and delivery has been getting stronger.”
Chavez said he looks forward to competing at nationals for all the opportunities it brings.
“I am excited about going to nationals,” Chavez said. “Not only is it going to be an opportunity to compete against other BPA members, but it’s also a great networking opportunity.”
Baker agreed with Chavez’s excitement, saying he feels confident about the competition.
“We’re expected to do well at nationals,” he said. “I feel like the results have carried through from regionals to state and that we’re going to do really well at nationals.
Baker said he is also excited to travel with the team.
Baker and Chavez feel that BPA has helped guide them toward their future careers by giving them opportunities to practice and see the skills they will need for the workforce.
“It turns students of today into the business leaders of tomorrow,” Chavez said.
Baker agreed with this, saying that BPA has helped him prepare for the future.
“I think future employers will value the increased professionalism and confidence that BPA has developed in me,” he said.
