(left to right) Back row: Mitch Hartke, Jan Mayhew, Phil Weix, Steve Rasmussen, Tracy Adamson; Front row: Lyle Stetler, August Evseev, Lina Bajiba, Christie Graves, Jennifer Davis, Noah Price
Eleven students win 40 awards; 10 qualify for national conference
Eleven students from Dakota County Technical College attended the Business Professionals of America 2012 State Leadership Conference, Feb. 23–25, 2012, in Mankato, Minn. The timing couldn’t have been better with Gov. Mark Dayton declaring February as “Career and Technical Education Month,” urging Minnesotans to recognize the benefits of such programs and support their productivity. The DCTC delegates took home 40 awards and 10 students qualified to attend the National Leadership Conference, “Reach New Heights,” in Chicago, Ill., April 27–29, 2012.
Founded in 1966, Business Professionals of America is a national career and technical student organization. Any student can belong to the organization, but it is geared toward students who are pursuing careers in accounting, business, office careers and computer careers.
The Minnesota Association of BPA offers a fall leadership conference where students attend leadership seminars and activities. At the State Leadership Conference, students compete in their chosen career areas and general events. Competitions also take place at a national level and focus on the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic and technological skills.
“The challenges BPA competitions bring is yet another way to prepare for the future as a working professional,” said Neil Klein, a sophomore in the Executive and Administrative Assistant program at DCTC.
Lyle Stelter, an accounting instructor and BPA advisor at DCTC, has been mentoring BPA students for almost 25 years. “I love the organization and leadership opportunities it gives to business students,” Stelter said. “BPA changes the lives of students and gives them experiences that they would not have without it.”
Students study sample tests and brush up on presentations to prepare for competitions at the national conference. They also use judge’s comments from the State Leadership Conference to improve their skills before heading to Chicago. According to Tracy Adamson, a sophomore in the Accounting program at DCTC, the competitions benefit students in preparing for a career in the real world. “Either way, win or lose, the competition is a great experience meeting new people and learning new skills,” Adamson said.
Stelter looks forward to DCTC students giving their all to win their events at the national conference, but more importantly he wants them to have an enriching travel experience. He tells his team for encouragement, “Expect the best, work hard, give one hundred percent, and you will succeed!”
BPA State Leadership Conference
DCTC Student Competition Results
Fundamental Accounting
- Christie Graves* | 1st place
- Jan Mayhew* | 2nd place
Computer Network Technology
- Noah Price* | 1st place
Entrepreneurship
- Tracy Adamson* | 1st place
Accounting Specialist
- Christie Graves | 2nd place
- Mitch Hartke | 3rd place
Advanced Accounting
- Phil Weix* | 1st place
Fundamental Word Processing
- August Evseev* | 4th place
Cisco Systems Administration
- Noah Price* | 2nd place
Information Technology Systems
- Noah Price | 4th place
Computerized Accounting
- Phil Weix* | 1st place
- Jennifer Davis* | 4th place
- Christie Graves* | 5th place
Network Administration–Microsoft
- Noah Price* | 4th place
Payroll Accounting
- Phil Weix* | 1st place
- Jennifer Davis* | 3rd place
Interview Skills
- Noah Price* | 2nd place
- Tracy Adamson* | 3rd place
Managerial Accounting
- Phil Weix* | 1st place
- Steve Rasmussen* | 4th place
Fundamental Spreadsheets Applications
- Jennifer Davis* | 1st place
- Christie Graves* | 2nd place
- Mitch Hartke* | 4th place
Extemporaneous Speech
- Noah Price* | 2nd place
Advanced Spreadsheet Applications
- Phil Weix* | 1st place
Human Resource Management
- Lina Bajiba* | 3rd place
Banking and Finance
- Jennifer Davis* | 2nd place
- Lina Bajiba* | 5th place
Prepared Speech
- Lina Bajiba* | 1st place
Financial Analyst Team
- Christie Graves, Jan Mayhew, Phil Weix* | 1st place
Computer Security
- Noah Price* | 4th place
Financial Math and Analysis
- Jennifer Davis | 1st place
- Phil Weix | 2nd place
- Christie Graves | 5th place
Presentation Management Team
- Tracy Adamson, Jennifer Davis, Steve Rasmussen* | 1st place
Insurance Concepts
- Steve Rasmussen | 1st place
- Lina Bajiba | 2nd place
- Neil Klein | 5th place
Federal Income Tax
- Phil Weix | 1st place
Business Meeting Management
- Phil Weix | 2nd place
* Indicates qualifier for National Leadership Conference | Chicago, Ill. | April 25–29, 2012
To learn more about Business Professionals of America at DCTC, contact:
- Lyle Stelter
Accounting Instructor | BPA Advisor
