MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Several members of Penn State Harrisburg’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter took fifth place honors in their respective competitions at the 2026 FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference.
More than 1,300 students from nearly 200 colleges and universities in 29 U.S. states and territories competed in the national event, held in Las Vegas in June. The event features networking and education opportunities, in addition to competitions in business-related categories.
Harrisburg student Aiden Beiler placed fifth in the entrepreneurship pitch competition, out of 49 competitors.
The team of Zainab Choudhary, Imsha Mahreen, and Mahek Shah, placed fifth in the business ethics competition, out of 53 teams.
Gideon Ruch also made the finals round of the impromptu speaking category.
Choudhary, an accounting major, said competing at the national level pushed her out of her comfort zone and showed how important communication, teamwork, preparation, and critical thinking are in real-world business situations.
“Competing at the national level was an exciting and rewarding experience. Being surrounded by students from across the country who were also passionate about business made the competition feel very special,” Choudhary said.
FBLA gives students opportunities to develop their skills beyond the classroom, she said, and helps students build leadership, public speaking, teamwork, problem-solving and networking skills.
Seventeen Harrisburg students qualified to compete at the national event, by placing fourth or better in their respective competitions at the Pennsylvania FBLA Collegiate State Leadership Conference in March.
In addition to Beiler, Choudhary, Mahreen, Shah and Ruch, the other students who qualified for nationals were: Alice Frankovich, Shane Glenn, Danielle Kim, Tyler Mack, Brooke Hodgson, David Jhun, Katelyn Williams, Tasnim Bari, Marisa Vidal, Julian Smith, Jacob Lee, and Brenna Snavely.
Also during the state conference, Harrisburg student Alice Frankovich, who is the chapter’s president, was elected as an FBLA Collegiate state officer and will serve as treasurer for the 2026-27 academic year.
“I am incredibly proud of all of our students who qualified for nationals, as this is a great accomplishment, whether they place in the top 10 and get recognized on the national stage or not,” said Jody Salsman, assistant teaching professor of accounting in the School of Business Administration and adviser of the FBLA chapter. “I am honored to be the one who leads and represents our chapter and am continuously complimented on how kind and professional the students from Penn State Harrisburg are. It is a privilege to be associated with Penn State Harrisburg FBLA.”