Contact: Katryn Conlin, Communications Director
651-385-6364, [email protected]

For Immediate Release

MSC Southeast Students take home 15 awards from State DECA Competition, including state championship in Professional Sales

Winona, MN (February 26, 2019) -- On February 14 and 15, Minnesota State College Southeast competed at the DECA State Career Development Conference, where college students from 14 schools in Minnesota and Iowa participated in 26 individual and team events. The 13 MSC Southeast students earned a total of 15 awards and medals for their outstanding performance in a variety of competitions!

MSC Southeast student Amber Roepke took the title as State Champion in Professional Sales. In addition, Tommy Laabs and Will Hainey took 3rd place in Sports and Entertainment Marketing, and two teams were finalists in Event Planning. Samantha Johnson and Jennifer Hansen received the Outstanding Student Service Award, which is given to students who are academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible, and experienced leaders.

All of the students qualified for the Collegiate DECA International Competition in Orlando, Florida coming up April 27-30.

"I am so proud of our chapter. Our students received more accolades this year than they have in any other year over the last decade," said the college's DECA advisor, James Elvidge. "In April, they will have the opportunity to compete against the best in the world!"

Minnesota Collegiate DECA connects the classroom to the boardroom by preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs through educational and competitive conferences and leadership training. More than 100 business professionals and Minnesota Collegiate DECA alumni volunteered their time at the state conference as judges, event proctors, and workshop facilitators.

PHOTO CAPTION:
Front row, from left: James Elvidge (advisor), Jennifer Hansen, Samantha Stenzel, Elizabeth Wolfe, Amber Roepke, Al Garcia, Dylan Timm. Back row: Patrick Reese, Kale Hutkowski, Trent Edwards, Samantha Johnson, Jacob Hirschi. 

About Minnesota State College Southeast

Minnesota State College Southeast is a two-year technical and community college that prepares students for a lifetime of learning by providing education for employment, skill enhancement, retraining, and transfer, to meet the needs of students and the community. The Winona campus opened in 1949, merging with the Red Wing campus in 1992 and updating its name to Minnesota State College Southeast in 2016 with the change of mission to offer both technical training and the associate of arts degree. Minnesota State College Southeast is a member of Minnesota State. For more information, visit www.southeastmn.one<http://www.southeastmn.one/>.