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Held March 27-28, the conference brought together students from across the Commonwealth to compete in a variety of business-related events and participate in professional development opportunities.
The Penn State Schuylkill FBLA chapter sent seven students to the event, including AJ Serrano, who currently serves as president of Pennsylvania FBLA. Serrano opened the conference by welcoming attendees and recognizing first-time participants.
Throughout the competition, students took part in both pre-conference objective testing—covering subjects such as organizational behavior and leadership—and live, in-person events like job interviews and customer service simulations.
Attendees also heard from keynote speaker Dara Bachman, president of Fulton Private Bank, and participated in workshops focused on topics including the science of happiness and the role of artificial intelligence in business. Networking opportunities were also provided through membership connection mixers.
The conference concluded with a dinner and awards ceremony recognizing student achievements.
Penn State Schuylkill students earned the following honors:
- Business Communication: Carter Strouse, first place
- Foundations of Finance: Katie Wank, fourth place
- Impromptu Speaking: AJ Serrano, first place
- Job Interview: AJ Serrano, second place
- Parliamentary Procedure: Alex Kull, second place
Students who placed in the top four of their respective categories have qualified to compete at the FBLA National Leadership Conference, scheduled to take place in Las Vegas in June 2026.