Georgetown, KY â Five members of GCâs Phi Beta Lambda team recently competed at PBL Nationals in Orlando, bringing back an 8th-place finish in one category and a ton of gratitude for the donors who helped them go there!
From left: Bill Beckerson, Alice McClard, Molly Hunter, Jordan Patrick, Jordan Burk.
âEighth in the nation is a big dealâŠespecially since this year PBL had the largest competition in its history,â said professor Scott Takacs, the co-PBL Advisor with Debbie Madden (both of GCâs Business Administration & Economics Department). PBL is the largest collegiate business student organization in the world.
The project for nationals was an Integrated Marketing Campaign, including print, broadcast, and social media, and Jordan Burk, Molly Hunter and Jordan Patrick developed one for the Caregiver’s Rewards Program. Takacs explained, âDeveloping a campaign for a non-profit actually put them at a slight disadvantage in the competition, since the guidelines were more oriented to a for-profit company.â
In the state competition â prior to nationals â GCâs Alice McClard took first in Marketing Concepts with Hunter second. Bill Beckerson was first in Client Services and second in Job Interview.
McClard is especially proud of the chapterâs continued great showings in competitions because âthis has built a name for Georgetown College as a top competitor in KY PBL and a strong competitor at nationals. First and second place finishes demonstrate that when GC students and alums are put up against other competition, not only in events like this but in the âreal world,â we come out on top. I think this says a lot for our schoolâs abilities.â
The rising senior from Clinton County said the five students were deeply touched by the generosity of the 20 donors who made the Orlando trip possible â adding that she couldnât have gone without that help. âWhen something like money stands in your way of doing something you really want to do it makes it that much more unbearable. Therefore, when I found out that so many generous people had given donations to PBL to help us, it meant the world to me. Nationals are always a great place for us to not only display our talents but to showcase Georgetown College and to network with very well-known individuals from the biggest companies in the nation.â
McClard also pointed out that PBL is also a way to get a sense of and involved with one of the biggest charities in the nation, The March of Dimes. Fund raising and awareness are the two aspects they focus on.
The future for GCâs PBL team looks very bright. All five students who went to nationals return this fall and will compete again in spring 2012. They are:
Bill Beckerson â a junior Biology major, Business minor from Harrodsburg, KY; Phi Kappa Tau
Alice McClard â a senior Sociology major, Business minor from Albany, KY
Molly Hunter â Â a senior Commerce, Language, & Culture major (Spanish) from Greenup, KY; Kappa Delta
Jordan Patrick â a senior Business major with emphasis in finance and marketing, Communications minor from Mount Sterling, KY; Kappa Alpha
Jordan Burk â a senior Health Science major, Business minor from Shelbyville, KY; Kappa Alpha
