York University PBL members, along with chapter advisor Dr. Stacie Turnbull and Levitt School of Business professor Nick DiToro, attended the National PBL Leadership Conference in Chicago, Ill., on June 24-27. After two years of virtual conferences, attendees were thrilled to be back in person. Following an impressive showing at the Nebraska State PBL Conference, the chapter represented York University well and received several awards for competitive events and leadership activities. 

Placing first in Financial Analysis and Decision Making and now a two-time national champion was Diego Korol, a first-year graduate student from Santiago, Chile.

“My experience at this year's NLC was extraordinary,” said Korol. “After two years of online conferences, being able to attend NLC allowed me to once again realize how great this organization is. Throughout the conference, we were able to network with individuals from across the country and showcase both our skills and knowledge learned in the York University classrooms. I want to thank the advisors, professors, and donors that make these trips possible. The success of our chapter would not be possible without you.” 

Felipe Venegas, a senior business administration major also from Santiago, Chile, was national runner-up as he placed second in Sales Presentation.

“When I first heard about NLC, I had no idea how big it was. Being able to explore different workshops, sharing experiences with other students from all over the country, and even talking with other international students was incredible,” said Venegas. “My biggest takeaway was having the opportunity to connect with people who share similar goals and are looking to grow as a community, understanding that the time to make a difference in your life is now.”

Venegas and Diego also had an impressive showing as they teamed up in Business Sustainability and placed fourth as a team. Both plan to continue their studies at York University this fall.

Moriah Toledo, a 2022 business administration graduate from Farmington, N.M., placed fourth in both Human Resource Management and Management Analysis and Decision Making as well as placed tenth in Emerging Business Issues.

“Reflecting back to the first time I heard about FBLA-PBL, I would have never thought that an organization like this would make such a huge impact on my life,” said Toledo. “Over the four years of involvement, PBL has shaped me into the person I am today — a woman in business. Serving as a local and state officer, competing in multiple competitions, meeting new students and business professionals across the many conferences have made me who I am.”  

Toledo was also recognized as the “Who’s Who” awardee for Nebraska in recognition of her strong leadership within the state and local PBL chapter.

“Being a PBL state officer was a big responsibility and took a lot of time commitment,” shared Toledo. “My network has grown exponentially as I worked with many business professionals across the state of Nebraska and the country. It was an honor to serve and help others discover their goals and reach their full potential.” She added high praise for Turnbull, DiToro and state advisor Jennifer Clause for helping her step out of her comfort zone. “Thank you for pushing me to be my best self and for the endless opportunities I was able to get being a part of the Levitt School of Business, York University PBL, and State PBL.”

Toledo plans to pursue a master's in business administration with a concentration in human resources and communications.

“I am extremely proud of our students, who competed against the best of the best.” said Turnbull. “They worked hard to prepare for their events — demonstrating both their own personal leadership abilities and bringing in many years of business education received throughout their time at York.” 

York University PBL will move to a new name, in step with the national membership and will now be known as Collegiate FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America).