Brenna Patrick
Staff Writer
ISU’s Business Professionals of America (BPA) will be hosting its fifth annual conference Friday, Nov. 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. in the College of Education building where 130-170 high school students are expected to attend.
This is the only fall Leadership Conference held in Idaho and is meant to show students what BPA is about and give students a glimpse of what it’s like in the real world.
BPA adviser Brenda Jacobsen said the conference is broken up into three main sections of “students understanding of competitive events, BPA in general and service to the organization and the community.”
The mission of BPA is to develop a world-class workforce through leadership skills and competitive events. This is accomplished through making a connection from what is learned in the classroom and how it works in the world, in business or in a job or career students will go into.
Jacobsen thinks BPA is a very valid organization and said it gives students “the opportunities to make a difference.”
The conference will help students with public speaking, interview skills, new technology uses and more.
ISU Senator Kyle Son will be talking about management skills, according to Jacobsen.
KVBI Channel 6 anchor and producer Matt Davenport will be a keynote speaker at the beginning of the conference, as well as doing a broadcast workshop for the students.
There will also be people coming from BPA’s main charity organization, the Special Olympics, from Idaho Falls. Val Davids, ISU student organizations coordinator, will be there as well.
“Lots of people believe in these skills and want to see students well-prepared,” Jacobsen.
Senior BPA member Jordan Wixom said there will also be a representative from the Department of Labor who will be teaching about entrepreneurship. In addition, another presenter will present information on the Adobe Creative Suite, such as PhotoShop.
“I really enjoy the opportunity to compete because I think it gives me the skills to practice things in real life,” Wixom said.
“[ISU] students can go into the conference to see what it’s all about,” said Jacobsen.
“We have a lot of great students that see the potential in [high school] students,” added Jacobsen.
BPA President and ISU senior Mireya Martinez is a National Officer and said BPA has really made a difference in her life.
Jacobsen reminds students at every level that regardless of what you get involved in, it’s important to get involved early.
“There are lots of opportunities. It’s all about saying, ‘I think I can do this’ no matter what organization you’re in,” Jacobsen said.
Wixom will also be presenting a workshop at the conference and said she used to be terrified of public speaking but because of BPA she doesn’t mind it.
“Being in the club here has really helped me continue to grow in my skills,” Wixom said.
The organization is having a professional clothing drive to benefit SEICCA, the South Eastern Idaho Community Action Agency, according to Wixom.
There are bins around campus currently and there will be some at the conference for people to put items into.
For the drive “any lightly-used professional clothing” will work, said Wixom.
BPA is open to all students and if students are interested in joining the organization they can go to Jacobsen or Martinez to find out more.
