Tavian Wilsea has been at this for a while. Conor Willeke is just getting started.
But both Nebraska Wesleyan students can call themselves the nation’s best after winning events at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate National Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, Nev., on June 8.
“It’s a function of time, and caring, and diving into it. Because with anything like this, you get out of it what you put into it,” said Samee Kaus, NWU’s FBLA advisor. “And I think they are both really bright, really sharp students who took the opportunity and wanted to run with it.”
Wilsea and Willeke led a Nebraska Wesleyan contingent at the national conference that brought home 11 top 10 finishes — the most of any Nebraska college or university. Three more Prairie Wolves advanced to the finals of their competitions by finishing in the top 12.
That success came against more than 1,400 competitors across dozens of events at the FBLA’s largest collegiate competition of the year.
Wilsea, who graduated this spring with a degree in sport management, hit the jackpot in his last of three national conferences. He finished second nationally each of the previous two years, first in Sport Management and Marketing as a sophomore, then in Foundations of Marketing as a junior.
This year, Wilsea brought home first place in Foundations of Hospitality Management, conquering a 100-question test with a 50-minute time limit.
Wilsea gained valuable experience toward his national title as an intern with the University of Nebraska athletics department, working in premium seating areas for games and events.
“Waiting for it all to happen was crazy. I was definitely aiming for it. Second the last two years is obviously pretty good,” Wilsea said. “But it was a huge goal of mine to finally break through and get first.”
Meanwhile Willeke, who will be a senior financial planning major this fall, won a championship in Foundations of Finance in his first year in NWU’s FBLA program, in addition to finishing eighth in Finance Case Study.
Like Wilsea, Willeke was able to turn real-world experience working as a financial advisor into a successful national conference.
NWU’s small class sizes and face-to-face interaction with instructors were crucial to Willeke’s success.
“One of the reasons I came to Wesleyan was the financial planning major. I was looking at eventually getting my CFP (Certified Financial Planner) designation,” Willeke said. “I think getting to know my professors and my classmates really helps, because they can recommend things like joining FBLA.”
It was Wilsea who encouraged Willeke to join FBLA. And Willeke knew Kaus from previous accounting classes. What started as an effort to improve his speaking and networking skills turned into a national award.
This success on the national stage capped a successful spring for NWU, with all 15 of its state conference competitors qualifying for nationals.
NWU was also honored at the Nebraska state leadership conference as having the largest growth of any chapter in the state by percentage of members. NWU’s chapter grew from around 20 members last year to more than 30 this year.
“Honestly, I just encourage people to try it out. You don’t have to be a business major to do it, but it’s a super-great experience to go out and compete and network with other people,” Wilsea said. “You might find some great new connections, and then you also might win your competition.”
Nebraska Wesleyan’s top 10 finishers are below. Other students who qualified and attended the conference were Gracey Smith, Kennedy Hurt, Kyle Finney, Kate Bollinger, Colton Schwein, Carson Looschen, and Ellie Buban.
FBLA National Leadership Conference Results
First Place
Conor Willeke, Foundations of Finance
Tavian Wilsea, Foundations of Hospitality Management
Second Place
Mady Schoffstall, Management Case Competition
Bruce Archambault, Job Interview
Fourth Place
Jake Rhodes, Foundations of Digital Design and Foundations of Selling
Paige Comstock, Foundations of Management
Seventh Place
Mira Comstock, Foundations of Communication
Mady Schoffstall & Bruce Archambault, Entrepreneurship Pitch Contest
Eighth Place
Conor Willeke, Finance Case Competition
10th Place
Corbin Horner, Parliamentary Procedure