Students qualify for national competition following strong performance at statewide event

Students from Mid-State Technical College earned top awards at the 2026 Business Professionals of America (BPA) Wisconsin State Leadership Conference, held Feb. 26–27 in Wausau. Their performance in the Workplace Skills Assessment Program (WSAP) competitive events highlights the strength of Mid-State’s business education programs and the workplace-ready skills students develop through hands-on learning.  This was the first time the State Leadership Conference was held in person since 2020.

“BPA competitions give students the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world scenarios,” said Sharon Behrens, Mid-State BPA advisor. “Watching our students step into these events with confidence and professionalism—and earn recognition for their work—is incredibly rewarding.”

Students who place highly and demonstrate competence in judged and non-judged events are eligible to advance to BPA’s National Leadership Conference, scheduled for May 6–10, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee.  

“Competing at the state conference pushes you to prepare, perform and think on your feet,” said Michelle Lucek, vice president of the Mid-State BPA chapter. “It’s exciting to see the skills we’re learning in our classes translate into success in competition and prepare us for future careers.”

BPA competitive events allow students to demonstrate the workplace skills they develop through their coursework. Participants compete in more than 100 categories across six assessment areas, including Finance, Business Administration, Management Information Systems, Digital Communication and Design, Marketing and Communication, and Health Administration.

Mid-State students earning top placements include:

Annika Kildahl, Co-Historian of the Mid-State BPA chapter

• 2nd place – Advanced Interview Skills
• 5th place – Prepared Speech
• Mike Tokheim Scholarship recipient

Cyanne Kube-Smith, Co-Historian of the Mid-State BPA chapter

• 1st place – Fundamental Desktop Publishing
• 2nd place – Digital Communication and Design Concepts
• 3rd place – Fundamental Word Processing
• 3rd place – Project Management Concepts
• 5th place – Digital Marketing Concepts
• 5th place – Financial Math and Analysis Concepts

Ellyn Buckley, Secretary and Co-Parliamentarian of the Mid-State BPA chapter

• 3rd place – Parliamentary Procedure Concepts
• 5th place – Fundamental Word Processing

Michelle Lucek, Vice President of the Mid-State BPA chapter

• 2nd place – Contemporary Issues
• 2nd place – Ethics and Professionalism
• 3rd place – Business Law and Ethics
• 3rd place – Management, Marketing, and Human Resources Concepts

Rhonda Martinson, President and Co-Parliamentarian of the Mid-State BPA chapter and Wisconsin BPA State Parliamentarian

• 3rd place – Intermediate Word Processing
• 5th place – Meeting and Event Planning Concepts

In addition, Mid-State’s BPA advisor, Sharon Behrens, earned first place in the Wisconsin Merit Scholar competition, part of the BPA Cares program, which recognizes leadership, community service, proficiency in chapter management and outstanding support among BPA members, advisors and alumni.

Business Professionals of America is a national career and technical student organization with more than 60,000 members in schools across the United States and internationally, including Canada, China, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Korea and the United Kingdom. BPA provides opportunities for students to build leadership skills, participate in business-related projects and compete in events that strengthen professional competencies.

Through BPA, Mid-State students gain valuable experience in leadership, teamwork and applied workplace skills that prepare them for success in business and professional careers. Learn more about Mid-State’s Business Management associate degree program at mstc.edu/programs. Those interested in helping the BPA chapter raise funds to attend the National Leadership Conference in May can dine at the Pizza Ranch in Plover March 18, between 4 and 8 p.m.