After competing virtually in the Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) 2020 National Leadership Online Experience, two Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) students placed eighth in the Management Analysis and Decision Making competition.

Tatiana Edwards, a Logistics and Supply Chain Management major, and Amber Grant, a Business Management major, worked together to complete an objective test and interactive presentation, which placed them in the national top 10. Edwards and Grant placed first in the same category during the state competition held earlier this year.

“I am so thrilled to have two students place in the PBL national competition,” said Trish Wiggins, GNTC Student Life coordinator. “These young women worked diligently to create a presentation during a time that made everything much more difficult.”

Competing at the national event is a huge undertaking during a normal year. However, working around a pandemic and virtual competition is on a completely different level, Wiggins said. The 2020 National Leadership Online Experience, originally planned to be in Salt Lake City, ran through the month of June with competitors participating completely online.

“While preparing for the Georgia State Leadership Competition I never thought we would end up going to nationals,” Grant said. “Placing eighth in nationals was the most gratifying accomplishment and it is something I will never forget.”

According to Edwards, the competition utilized Facebook to create a conference setting. This setting helped create a virtual office from home, which was not included in previous national competitions. Organizers stuck to rigorous schedules and professional standards to create a well-planned experience. It was an honor to compete against PBL students from traditional four-year universities, community colleges and other technical colleges, she said.

“After finishing first in Georgia, the pressure was on to do well on the national level,” Edwards said. “I had a great teammate in Amber Grant and tremendous support from Mark Upton, PBL Advisor and director of Marketing Management at GNTC, and Trish Wiggins.”

The Phi Beta Lambda student organization has been active on GNTC campuses for the past 10 years. Members of the organization work on building their resumes, meet with business leaders in their community, participate in volunteer opportunities, travel and other special activities.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma, or a certificate in business, health, industrial, or public service career paths. This past year, 12,454 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,730 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 4,724 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.