It’s been an amazing year for the Phi Beta Lambda chapter at West Liberty University. The relatively new business student group returned from the national student competition held in Anaheim, Ca. with a total of seven awards!
“We’ve had an amazing year and we are so excited to have this opportunity to compete at the national level. Last year we won one national title, and this year we came home with seven national titles! We want to thank the university for its support,” said Hayden Blazer, founder and president of the group who is from Glen Dale, W.Va. and is a rising senior majoring in accounting.
All students attending the leadership conference are enrolled in the Gary E. West College of Business. They joined more than 1,800 of America’s college students in Anaheim as they competed for the opportunity to win more than $95,000 in cash awards, from June 24 – 27.
Participants participated in more than 70 business and business-related competitive events. WLU Awards and student names include:
- Accounting Analysis & Decision Making, 9th place; and Financial Services, 1st place, Jack Kilgore, Washington, Pa.
- Accounting for Professionals, 9th place, Ashley Stewart, Flushing, Ohio
- Personal Finance, 1st place and Financial Concepts, 5th place, Brandon Galici, Washington, W.Va.,
- Project Management, 5th place, Robert Kettlewell, Wheeling
- Forensic Accounting, 2nd place, Hayden Blazer and Ashley Stewart
Blazer founded the WLU chapter of Phi Beta Lambda in 2015 and was recently reelected its president. ,which is the first chapter in a university in the state of West Virginia.
“WV has had the largest membership increase in the nation while I’ve been president and I’m grateful for the many students and faculty who have helped me keep our chapter going and growing,” Blazer said.
Director of the Undergraduate Business Program Michael Blackwell escorted the students to the competition.
“We are very proud of the accomplishments of our PBL competitors. They are some of our best and brightest students and we congratulate them on their fine work,” Blackwell said.”
Other faculty advisors include: Dean of the College of Business S. Michael Turrentine, and faculty, Jean Bailey, Jim Crumbacher and Dave Wright and Administrative Secretary Senior Donna Schuler.
