Webber International University Brings Home National FBLA Titles
Babson Park, Florida
For Immediate Release
On June 24, thirteen students from Webber International University’s FBLA Collegiate Division, formerly known as PBL (Phi Beta Lambda), along with their advisor, Dr. Joanne Muniz, traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to compete at their PBL National Leadership Conference (NLC). Over four days, students from 30 states were connected through competitive events, leadership workshops, and networking opportunities.
Webber International University, in Babson Park, Florida, received national recognition during PBL’s Awards of Excellence ceremony on June 27. Its students, who qualified at their state conference to attend the NLC, traveled from Scotland, Sweden, Mexico, and Florida to compete in 21 events. The students who competed were Andrea Acuna, Natalie Bartek, Caitlin Capozucca, Bryce Gerber, Nicole Greene, Seth Harper, Katy-Rose Hill, Chase Muniz, Emelie Neidenmark, Isaiah Paige, Reynold Rey, Ellora Santiago, and Jonathan Vega.
In team events, Andrea Acuna and Bryce Gerber competed in Social Media Marketing, earning eighth place honors. Their presentation focused on expanding a local movie theater to devise creative ways to survive following the challenges and restrictions caused by the 2020 pandemic.
Webber’s FBLA Collegiate Division executive leadership team of Natalie Bartek, Emelie Neidenmark, and Isaiah Paige presented in the event of Community Service Project. Their presentation, which described the university’s annual Trick-Ur-Trunk Halloween event, included information about chapter member involvement and the degree of impact on the community, earning tenth place honors.
Emelie Neidenmark and Isaiah Paige rounded out the team events with a presentation in the category of Digital Media. Earning sixth place honors, Emelie and Isaiah were required to create a video promoting the recycling/reusing/repurposing of a new clothing resale shop in our community, including examples and ways to promote the business.
Webber’s students also competed in various individual events. Caitlin Capozucca received ninth place honors in Justice Administration, Nicole Greene earned seventh and eighth place honors in Insurance Concepts and Management Concepts, respectively, and Emelie Neidenmark received sixth place honors in Sports Management & Marketing, while Reynold Rey earned eighth place honors in Impromptu Speaking. Katy-Hill Rose, who earned third place honors in Global Analysis & Decision Making, also received a cash award for her presentation.
“While we could not be prouder of our students continuing a long tradition of earning top honors nationally for our FBLA Collegiate Division chapter, I am equally proud of all our students who traveled to Chicago to compete, learn, and network. This year, all our students were first-time competitors. For several, these competitive events are the capstone activity of their undergraduate studies as they graduate and move onto their professional careers or upcoming
MBA programs. I wish those students moving on the most success and cannot wait until the Fall to see what our returners, and new members, will accomplish,” said Dr. Joanne Muniz, a member of the Florida FBLA Board of Directors and National FBLA Finance Committee and who received State and National recognition as the Outstanding Local Chapter Advisor of the Year in 2021.
Established in 1927 by Roger Babson as the first college chartered under Florida’s then new charitable and educational laws, and America’s second school of business for women, Webber’s campuses in Babson Park, FL (residential); Charleston, SC; Charlotte, NC; Columbia, SC; Laurinburg, NC (residential); and Pinehurst, NC now educate men and women from over 50 different nations. Degrees are offered at the associates, bachelors, and masters level through traditional day, accelerated night and weekend, and entirely on-line formats. Joining Webber as a branch campus in 2011, St. Andrews University is an historically Presbyterian, comprehensive liberal arts school tracing its roots back to 1896. The University features highly qualified faculty, highly engaged staff, small class size, and a wide array of intercollegiate sports and other extracurricular activities. The University has been recognized as a US News and World Reports Best Regional Colleges: South, a Princeton Review Best Southeastern College, has earned Petersons’ top marks for academics, value and community, and has been designated a Military Friendly School. The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and numerous programs have earned additional programmatic accreditations.