Student Success
Students Lead the Way with 43 Awards at NC Leadership Conference
College Also Recognized as State's Largest FBLA Collegiate Chapter
RALEIGH, N.C. (April 10, 2026) – Wake Tech students are taking their leadership skills to the next level, earning 43 awards, including 11 first‑place honors, at the North Carolina Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate State Leadership Conference in Charlotte.
Wake Tech's FBLA Collegiate chapter was recognized for overall excellence, earning honors for the largest membership in the state (81 members) and the largest increase in membership. The chapter also received the Legacy Leadership Award and was named one of just three Gold Seal chapters for outstanding participation in FBLA Collegiate programs, activities and conferences.
FBLA Collegiate is the post-secondary division of FBLA, a global organization dedicated to preparing students for careers in business through leadership development, professional growth and hands‑on learning experiences. Its competitive events recognize excellence across a range of career‑related fields and allow students to apply classroom knowledge in real‑world, workforce‑simulated environments.
Wake Tech students competed against peers from colleges and universities statewide, showcasing their talent and career readiness and winning the following awards:
First Place
- Justin Smith - Computer Applications
- Rahin Arrian Islam - Cybersecurity
- Fifa Melome - Foundations of Accounting
- Edison Bailey Price - Foundations of Computer Science
- Navleen Kaur - Foundations of Marketing
- Navleen Kaur, Noor ul aien and Sehyun Park - Hospitality Management Case Competition
- Lori Teemo - Job Interview
- Kiranpreet Kaur - Organizational Behavior & Leadership
- Edison Bailey Price – Parliamentary Procedure
- Soyuz Bhattarai - Sports Management & Marketing
- Harshita Sahu - Supply Chain Management
Second Place
- Kiranpreet Kaur, Nicole LaMonica and Soyuz Bhattarai - Business Presentation
- Maria Lans - Computer Applications
- Ismael Mastache Lagunas - Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition
- Navleen Kaur - Foundations of Communication
- Nicole LaMonica – Foundations of Digital Design
- Arpita Tokhi - Foundations of Marketing
- Mannal Amjad - Future Business Facilitator
- Nicole LaMonica and Justin Smith - Technology and Computer Science Case Competition
Third Place
- Destiny Royster and Lori Teemo - Business Ethics
- Neha Chowdary Amaraneni, Harshita Sahu and Arpita Tokhi - Business Presentation
- Lori Teemo – Foundations of Economics
- Fifa Melome - Foundations of Finance
- Justin Smith - Foundations of Technology
- Noor ul aien - Project Management
Fourth Place
- Malexis Barinotto and Sehyun Park - Business Ethics
- Maria Lans - Cybersecurity
- Samantha Ivanov - Foundations of Entrepreneurship
Fifth Place
- Maria Lans - Customer Service
- Destiny Royster - Foundations of Accounting
- Ismael Mastache Lagunas - Foundations of Communication
- Noor ul aien - Foundations of Hospitality Management
- Harshita Sahu - Project Management
- Ismael Mastache Lagunas - Sports Management & Marketing
Sixth Place
- Mannal Amjad, Nabiha Amjad - Hospitality Management Case Competition
- Malexis Barinotto - Retail Management
Seventh Place
- Neha Chowdary Amaraneni, Harshita Sahu, Arpita Tokhi - Emerging Business Issues
- Claren Riley Jones - Foundations of Hospitality Management
- Andrew McNoldy - Foundations of Selling
- Malexis Barinotto - Future Business Executive
Eighth Place
- Arpita Tokhi - Foundations of Finance
- Sehyun Park - International Business
Students placing first through fourth qualified to compete at the FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference, scheduled for June 6–8 in Las Vegas.
In addition to the competitive awards, Kiranpreet Kaur was named to Who's Who in North Carolina FBLA Collegiate, a distinction recognizing members who have made exceptional contributions to the organization. Kaur recently completed her term as NC FBLA Collegiate President and is currently serving her second year as Wake Tech's FBLA Collegiate President.
"The NC FBLA Collegiate State Leadership Conference was an incredible experience that brought everything I've been working on at Wake Tech to life," said Kaur, who is graduating in May with an Associate in Arts degree.
"Being surrounded by so many driven and passionate students pushed me to grow as a leader and represent our chapter with pride," she added. "The experience showed me how far I've come and strengthened my confidence as I prepare for the next step in my educational journey."
Kaur, a Student Ambassador and Scott Scholar – the most prestigious and competitive honor awarded by the college – plans to transfer to a four‑year university to pursue a bachelor's degree in Business, with a focus on consulting and entrepreneurship.
Michele Parrish, Wake Tech FBLA Collegiate advisor and an assistant professor of Network & Cloud Administration, also serves as the NC FBLA Collegiate Communications Director and is a member of the State Awards Program Committee. Keith Little, a Network & Cloud Administration instructor, attended the conference as an advisor.
