DECA Students Win Big in National Competition Against Prestigious Universities

“We went in determined to do really well because our professors and advisors did so much to prepare us and to get us to this competition,” says business student Anthony Tai [Hillcrest High School]. He earned first place in the Business Analytics and Statistics category competition this past June in Chicago at the 2022 PBL (PHI BETA LAMBDA) National Leadership Conference.

Among the 17 SLCC students who attended, 16 placed in the top ten in a range of categories (see below), competing against students from two and four-year colleges nationwide. The competition identifies the best competitors in business, marketing, legal and technology fields.

“What makes winning so special to us is that we compete with Ivy League schools and other prestigious research universities,” says Daysi Hernandez, associate professor of business management. She traveled as an advisor with the students, all of whom are members in SLCC’s DECA-PBL club—a combination chapter of two national organizations that prepare students for business, marketing, and technology careers. (PBL has recently changed its name to Future Business Leaders of America.)

“We were the most winning school in Utah and one of the most winning schools at the PBL national competition,” says Jen Klenk, an associate professor of marketing and DECA student advisor.

At the competition, students are given real-life case scenarios to work through and must provide resolutions within a given time. Students learn to work under pressure, research, practice teamwork and communication skills. They not only learn technical skills but also practice the soft skills, explains Daysi.

To help prepare students for the competition, SLCC’s DECA club members met every Monday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the SLCC’s School of Business (Redwood campus) to practice and do mock scenarios. “Often, the older students help mentor our new students and we have a wide range of diversity among the 38 students in the club,” adds Daysi. “Everyone is welcome!”

Outside the competition, students were able to experience Chicago and even saw former president Obama. “This was only the second time I’ve ever been out of state without my family and it was fun making new friends and exploring the city,” says Anthony, who plans to add his first-place win to his resume.

SLCC Student DECA Winners

FIRST PLACE: STATISTICAL ANALYTICS

Anthony Tai (DECA President 2021-2022)

THIRD PLACE: EMERGING BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY

Mashayla Dalley (PBL President 2021-22)

Gerson Lucas

Elias Encinia

FOURTH PLACE: FUTURE BUSINESS EDUCATOR

Gerson lucas

SIXTH PLACE: BUSINESS DECISION MAKING

Surindra Maraj

Christina Falkenrath

Jiwon Kang

SIXTH PLACE: ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONCEPTS

Anthony Tai

SIXTH PLACE: HOSPITALITY

Mashayla Dalley

M.J. Page

Christina Falkenrath

SIXTH PLACE: INTEGRATED MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Cali Bourdos

Chrinstina Falkenrath

SEVENTH PLACE: BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY

Romaldo Ayon

Surindra Maraj

Henry Lovell

SEVENTH PLACE: STRATEGIC ANALYSIS AND DECISION-MAKING

Luis Lemus

Anthony Tai

EIGHTH PLACE: DIGITAL DESIGN

Nancy Gonzalez

Ashley Arementa

Elias Encinia

EIGHTH PLACE: BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY

Damien Renteria

EIGHTH PLACE: WEBSITE DESIGN

Cali Bourdos

M.J. Page

Diana Zahidi

NINETH PLACE: DIGITAL MEDIA

Cali Bourdos

Jiwon Kang

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