Three students from the School of Business at the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) won four awards at the Arkansas Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate State Leadership Conference at South Arkansas College in El Dorado, Arkansas, on March 12.

Victoria O’Neill Rivera, a sophomore business administration major with an emphasis in marketing from Warren, Arkansas, won first place in Public Speaking and first place in Digital Design and Communications.

Jordan Wehr, a senior business administration major with an emphasis in marketing from Frisco, Texas, won second place in Sports Management and Marketing.

Maddie Welch, a senior business administration major with an emphasis in marketing from Star City, Arkansas, won first place in Foundations of Marketing. Welch reflected on how her coursework prepared her for the competition, stating, “Everything I saw on the test, I learned in classes I took at UAM.”

At the state leadership conference, students compete in events that test their business knowledge and skills. Winners at the state level are eligible to compete for national awards at the 2026 FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from June 6 through June 8. Rivera plans to compete at the nationwide event.

“Our students represented UAM with excellence,” noted Dr. Shanna Knowles, assistant professor of management at UAM and faculty co-sponsor of the FBLA Collegiate Club at UAM. “These awards reflect the hard work, curiosity and commitment our students bring to learning, and it’s an honor to watch them shine on a statewide stage.”

Dr. Marsha Clayton, dean of the School of Business at UAM, also celebrated the students’ successes, stating, “For several years, our students have excelled as representatives of UAM at the Arkansas Future Business Leaders of America Collegiate State Leadership Conference, and this year was no exception. We are proud of the leadership exhibited by the UAM FBLA chapter and their competitive spirit. We know our students have numerous demands on their time, and we appreciate their willingness to pursue education beyond the classroom by participating in student organizations and intercollegiate events.”

For more information about FBLA at UAM, contact Stephanie Harton, co-sponsor of the FBLA Collegiate Club at UAM, at hartons@uamont.edu or the UAM School of Business at 870-460-1041.

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