Three University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business students won first place awards at the Phi Beta Lambda 2020 Arkansas State Leadership Conference held in North Little Rock April 3-4.

Pynshailang Nongsiej, a graduate student majoring in business information systems from Shillong, India, and president of the UA Little Rock Phi Beta Lambda chapter, was awarded first place in computer animation.

Shibani Lal, a senior business analytics and human resources management major from Little Rock and vice president of UA Little Rock Phi Beta Lambda, was awarded first place in the categories of Job Interview and Who’s Who in Phi Beta Lambda.

Nongsiej and Lal also competed together in a group business presentation competition and won first place. Blake Hughes, a senior marketing major from Bryant and member of Phi Beta Lambda, won first place in marketing concepts.

As top winners in the regional competition, Nongsiej, Lal, and Hughes will be representing the UA Little Rock Phi Beta Lambda chapter at the National Leadership Conference to be held virtually June 24-27.

Lal will also be representing Arkansas for Who’s Who in Phi Beta Lambda at the National Leadership Conference. Who’s Who in Phi Beta Lambda is an exemplary honor that is awarded to members who have made outstanding contributions to the organization at the local, state, and national levels. Only one winner is selected from each state to represent at the National Leadership Conference. Lal was previously recognized in 2019 as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar for her social media and marketing skills.

“Participation in FBLA~PBL has been a life changing experience for me,” Lal said. “Phi Beta Lambda has provided opportunities for me to connect with business professionals from across the nation. It has helped me learn to think outside the box and grow as a business professional. Competitive events and activities have also helped to enhance my leadership skills.”

Phi Beta Lambda is a collegiate version of Future Business Leaders of America, which prepares its members for the workforce and career development. Phi Beta Lambda provides students with numerous opportunities to apply business skills to real-world scenarios. The UA Little Rock Phi Beta Lambda chapter aims to be the premier student leadership organization in the State of Arkansas, with a mission of inspiring and preparing students to become community-minded leaders.