Phi Beta Lambda, also known as the Business Club, represented Cerritos College at the 2018 State Business Leadership Conference at the Hilton Mission Valley hotel in San Diego CA on April 6-8. A total of 32 participants were able to attend and represent the chapter.
PBL’s goal is developing leaders and members for careers in business and other related fields with personal skills.
“It’s a business club but we are open to all majors. Our advisors are very supportive and are always there for PBL. PBL is like family,” Ariel Diane Valencia said.
Itzzayana Jarquín, vice president of PBL, said she had no doubt that being VP has been challenging, but it has helped her develop the person she is today.
“I feel honored to guide this group of members, not only that but to motivate everyone.” Jarquín said. “It’s one thing to be a student and another thing to be a vice president when you have to take your actions to another level and show professionalism.”
This conference has taught Jarquín leadership skills and has prepared her with experiences that will help her grow in the future, such as networking with business professionals.
She said, “this past conference has been a big group in a while, bringing about 32 people and I feel delighted that we have motivated students and know what PBL is about.”
For some students, this experience is sadly coming to an end.
President of Phi Beta Lambda, Briana Morales will be transferring soon and she said, “I’m not sure if the university I’ll be attending will have a PBL chapter, so ending it here makes me emotional.”
Being president of PBL has been such an honor for her, she never imagined she’d be president a year later after joining the club.
She said, “I took this position very seriously and gave it my all, I hope to have inspired and motivated others.”
“I had no leadership experience, taking this opportunity has helped me grow as a person as well as a leader along with the members of the club.” She added.
Morales says that joining the organization was one of the best decisions she has made, she considers PBL to be her second family.
She also shared that it was a great opportunity to be surrounded by individuals who have drive and similar goals as she does.
“I enjoyed attending the workshops provided at the event and the privilege of sharing this experience with so many of my fellow PBL members, made it that much of a better experience.
I value everything that I have learned and been able to experience. I’ll definitely miss this business organization.” Morales said.
The conference ended with an Awards of Excellence Ceremony at Qualcomm auditorium.
The winners at the ceremony included:
- Ariel Diane Valencia
Accounting Principle – Third Place
Information Management – Second Place
Macroeconomics – Fifth Place
- Rodrigo Quintas
Justice Administration – Second Place
Macroeconomics – Third Place
Impromptu Speaking – First Place
- Salvador Carballo
Entrepreneurship Concepts – Fifth Place
Personal Concepts – Fourth Place
- Hector Centeno
Networking Concept – Third Place
Sales Presentation – Fourth Place
- Janet Carranza
Sports Management and Marketing – Second Place
- Shennis Reyes
Impromptu Speaking – Fourth Place
- Tina Vejar
Future Business Executive – Third Place
- Diego Cervantes
Justice Administration – Third Place
- Juan Sandoval
Justice Administration – Fourth Place
- Kelly Seang
Accounting Principles – First Place
- Cerritos College
Name tag – Third Place
They competed against different universities like UCR, USC, UCSD, CSUF and community colleges like Diablo Valley.
Valencia happily received three awards Sunday morning.
“I am really happy about receiving multiple awards. I was hoping to at least place in one of my competitions, but I wasn’t really confident about it because I thought I could have done better.” Valencia Said.
She added, “I was pleasantly surprised to have placed in all three competitions I participated in.”
Valencia has been a part of PBL for two years, she found it during Club Info Day when she was looking to get more involved on campus.
“PBL holds a special place in my heart because it has helped me grow and helped me step out of my comfort zone. I have learned a lot and I am thankful for PBL.” She said. “I really enjoyed conference, I like that the conference has workshops, competitions and networking.”
It was also some student’s first time attending the State Business Conference, like this student Erick Hutchens, art major.
“My friends have been telling me about PBL for like a while, so I just decided to join this semester. I helped make the name tags.” Hutchens said.
He added, ” They asked me if I wanted to go to conference, but I said I needed to see about money and they told me that they might get funding from ASCC and then I said if that goes through then hell yeah.”
He said everyone was so chill, they were so nice.
Kelly Seang, accounting major, also got an award and got first place on the accounting principle competition.
Seang said, ” I was excited enough to be nominated in top 5 and didn’t expect to be first place at all. After they announced that I am first place, my heart beat so fast I was so blank and couldn’t believe it myself.”
She added, “Out of excitement, I think I acted silly up there on stage because I couldn’t control my joyful feeling.”
Seang shared that she prepared for the competition by reviewing the old and new notes she learned from accounting 101 and 102.
She had a valuable experience and had so much fun with her Cerritos PBL family. She loved the fact that there was a social event that created memories, because she felt like they were not just there to compete but to have fun at the same time.
“I’d like to thank ASCC that made it possible to accommodate Cerritos students to attend the conference free of charges.” Seang said.
