SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — Future Business Leaders of America – Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL) students at Penn State Schuylkill joined over 4,200 chapters nationwide to celebrate national FBLA-PBL Week, held Feb. 13 through 19.

The activities focused on the words surrounding the FBLA-PBL crest: Service, Education and Progress.

Forging connections with peers

To celebrate, the student organization participated in several special events, beginning with National Theme Day, which kicked off the weeklong celebration. Penn State Schuylkill’s FBLA-PBL students adopted the organization’s overall theme of “Success Starts Here” — an apt mantra for a week of networking and more.

FBLA-PBL Week included a “Share Your Story” Day, where students were encouraged to discuss why they joined the collegiate business organization. “I joined PBL because I had so much fun in high school with these programs,” said first-year human development and family studies major Tiffany Boehner. “I couldn’t wait to be able to participate in college,” she concluded.

“I joined PBL because I saw this as an opportunity to meet other students on campus who are also interested in business and community service,” commented Morgan Matlock, a fourth-year student majoring in business under the accounting option. And this organization provides students like Matlock the perfect opportunity to participate in community engagement activities, especially community service.

Seizing an opportunity to give back

During the FBLA-PBL Community Service Day, the student organization packed personal care kits for the March of Dimes. These kits were distributed to parents whose babies were born too soon or unexpectedly and can make a significant impact on parents whose babies are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to pregnancy-related complications.

Each member of the student organization created a bag, and the items donated included shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste, body soap and other hygiene products. Throughout the 2021-22 academic year, these students have been conducting fundraising activities, and the group used their funds to purchase materials for this event.

Penn State Schuylkill’s FBLA-PBL students also attended the campus’s Business Etiquette Dinner, an event that helped familiarize them with how to conduct themselves during a meal in a professional setting. This event was attended by Penn State Schuylkill alumni as well as local business leaders, and is the opportunity was exactly what fifth-year business major John Lindenmuth sought from his membership in PBL. “I joined PBL so I could make connections with people who are in the business field,” said Lindenmuth, who also looked to make stronger connections with his peers on campus.

In addition to the week’s activities, Penn State Schuylkill’s FBLA-PBL chapter showed appreciation for Lisa Robinson, instructor of business and the organization’s faculty adviser. To celebrate her, the group delivered a card to Robinson complete with signatures and well-wishes from every student in the campus organization.

About FBLA-PBL

FBLA-PBL Week falls within National Career & Technical Education Month, which highlights the impact of career and technical education (CTE) on student success, workforce development, and the economy. 

“The momentum of a national event provides the perfect occasion to spotlight career and CTE programs that are making a difference — like PBL — in the lives of our students, in our community, and to our nation overall,” said Robinson.

Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) student business organization with nearly 230,000 members and advisers in the 4,200 chartered high school and college chapters worldwide. FBLA-PBL inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences. 

Looking forward

Penn State Schuylkill’s FBLA-PBL chapter will be participating in the PBL state conference, which will help students develop their leadership skills, network, and speak with exhibitors and vendors. The Pennsylvania conference will occur on Friday, April 1, through Saturday, April 2.