Bluefield State Students Earn National FBLA Honors; Chapter Receives Gold Seal Recognition

Bluefield State University students earned multiple top-10 finishes at the 2026 FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference, held June 6-8 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, while the University’s chapter received national recognition for excellence, and one of its advisors earned a prestigious statewide honor.

Competing against collegiate business students from across the nation, Bluefield State students posted impressive results in several competitive events.

Among the University’s national award recipients were:

• Nina Blankenship, who placed 4th in Customer Service
• Myles Rice, who placed 8th in Foundations of Entrepreneurship
• Kylie Salazar, who placed 6th in Sports Management and Marketing and 8th in Community Service

Salazar also received special recognition as the recipient of the FBLA Professional Foundation Program Award, an honor presented during the national conference.

The students’ success helped highlight another banner year for Bluefield State’s FBLA Collegiate chapter, which earned Gold Seal Chapter Recognition for the 2025-2026 academic year. The designation is one of FBLA Collegiate’s highest honors and recognizes excellence in leadership development, professional growth, community service, and chapter engagement.

“Our students represented Bluefield State exceptionally well on the national stage,” said Dr. Tabitha Young, advisor of the University’s FBLA Collegiate chapter. “Their accomplishments reflect countless hours of preparation, hard work, and dedication. To see them compete successfully against some of the best collegiate business students in the country is incredibly rewarding.”

“Our students represented Bluefield State exceptionally well on the national stage. Their accomplishments reflect countless hours of preparation, hard work, and dedication. To see them compete successfully against some of the best collegiate business students in the country is incredibly rewarding.”

Dr. Tabitha Young, advisor of the University’s FBLA Collegiate chapter

In recognition of her commitment to student success and leadership development, Young was also named Outstanding Local Chapter Advisor for the State of West Virginia. She and Dr. Joel Vance, co-advisor of the chapter, accompanied the students to the national conference.

Bluefield State University President Dr. Darrin Martin said the students’ accomplishments demonstrate the quality of education and opportunities available through the W. Paul Jr. Cole College of Business.

“Our students continue to prove they can compete with anyone in the nation,” Martin said. “These national honors reflect not only their talent and determination, but also the guidance provided by Dr. Young and Dr. Vance and the commitment of our faculty to preparing students for success. We congratulate our students for these outstanding achievements and thank our advisors for their leadership and mentorship.”

The national recognition builds on a year of success for Bluefield State’s FBLA Collegiate chapter, which earned numerous honors at the West Virginia FBLA Collegiate State Leadership Conference and advanced multiple students to national competition. Through leadership development, professional networking, community service, and competitive events, FBLA Collegiate continues to provide Bluefield State students with valuable opportunities to develop the skills sought by today’s employers.