Campus & Community

Three Palm Beach State College students will compete on the national level after winning top awards at the Phi Beta Lambda state competition.

Adrian Stephenson won first place in the Help Desk category, Thomas DeVito was awarded second place in the Justice Administration category and Magdala St. Fleur took home third in Client Relations during the event held in Orlando March 28-31.

Hundreds of students from colleges and universities, including 14 from PBSC, participated in competitive activities in numerous categories.

Other PBSC students who finished in the top 10 were: Alejandra Solano, who placed fourth in Business Communication; Joshua Deese took fourth in Impromptu Speaking; Shelia Ducram was fifth in the Job Interview category; and Karen Lee finished fifth in Hospitality Management.

“Winning first place was a rewarding moment for me,” said Stephenson, who graduated last fall from PBSC with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Information Management with a concentration in Security & Network Assurance.  “I started working at PBSC as part of the integrated technology service desk team as a student. My knowledge and experiences gained while working and going to school at PBSC factored 100 percent into winning this event.”

Stephenson is currently the Phi Beta Lambda president and a PBSC client services manager. He is also studying to obtain a Master of Business Administration in Information Technology Management from Western Governors University. He hopes to one day become a chief information officer, vice president or president.

Stephenson, along with DeVito and St. Fleur, will travel to San Antonio June 24-27 to compete in the national competition.

“To win second place was a feeling like no other,” said DeVito, who is the vice president of Phi Beta Lambda and plans to graduate with his Associate in Arts degree this summer. “It felt like things had come full circle, but it also is just a great feeling when all the hard work you’ve put in all year pays off in helping you achieve your goal.”

DeVito plans to major in history and minor in economics and then go to law school to achieve his dream of becoming a judge advocate general in the U.S. Coast Guard.

St. Fleur currently works as a scheduling specialist for Palm Tran. Her future goals are to get a master’s degree in project management, land a higher position at Palm Tran, and give back more to the community.

“The excitement that I first felt when they called my name was tremendous,” said St. Fleur, who is seeking a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Supervision and Management. “I did not expect to make it, but I am now very excited to go to nationals.”

Phi Beta Lambda is the collegiate division of Future Business Leaders of America. For more information, visit www.fbla-pbl.org.