Central Wisconsin News

Four students from Mid-State Technical College achieved top rankings at the 2025 Business Professionals of America (BPA) National Leadership Conference held in Orlando from May 7 to 11. These students qualified for the national event after their success at the Wisconsin BPA State Leadership Conference in February.

The results for Mid-State BPA participants are as follows: Michelle Lucek from Marshfield, a Business Management student, placed first in Ethics & Professionalism and fourth in Health Administration Procedures. This was her debut at both state and national levels. Rhonda Martinson from Wisconsin Rapids, a Leadership Development student and president of Mid-State’s BPA chapter, secured third place in Basic Office Systems & Procedures. Annika Kildahl from Amherst, also a Business Management student, ranked sixth in Interview Skills during her first competition at these levels. Tara Chapman from Tomah, studying Digital Marketing and serving as vice president of Mid-State’s BPA chapter, achieved seventh place in Human Resource Management and eighth in Presentation Individual.

Sharon Behrens, Business Technology instructor and BPA club advisor, expressed pride: “The national conference is a moment of pride for our BPA students. Not only did four Mid-State students place in the top 10 at a national competition, but the Mid-State BPA chapter also won a marketing and communications award as well as a quality chapter distinction award. We’re incredibly proud of these achievements and excited to see how these students will carry these experiences into their future careers.”

The national conference featured delegates nationwide competing in business-related skills competitions while attending workshops on leadership and professional development. Participants were recognized for community service activities and elected the 2025–2026 national student leadership team.

Business Professionals of America is a leading Career and Technical Student Organization for those preparing for careers in business and information technology with over 60,000 members worldwide.

To learn more about Mid-State’s business programs, visit mstc.edu/programs.