Kansas’ DECA Conference at K-State creates a competitive atmosphere for high school students to learn and anticipate their bright business futures
When Paul Nguyen stepped into his first Kansas DECA State Career Development Conference as a high school student, he had no idea the experience he was signing up for.
DECA’s conference structure prepares high school students from across Kansas in marketing, finance, hospitality and management with its competitive role-playing activities, case studies, timed exams, written reports and presentations.
Nguyen, now a double major in accounting and marketing at K-State, said the conference gave him confidence as he headed into college with its focus on performance and real-world scenarios.
“The testing and performance indicators gave me a sense of urgency and preparation,” Nguyen said. “It helped me understand how business fields are structured, and that carried straight into college.”
Because of his involvement as a high schooler, Nguyen decided to help organize the next state conference, and he is working to establish K-State’s Collegiate DECA chapter.
“Being a college student now and helping with the setup of the conference made me realize how impactful this experience really is,” he said. “K-State focuses on the success of students, and DECA plays a big role in that.”
Not only does the DECA conference prepare future business professionals for their next step, but it also gives high school students a glimpse into their college experience.
“Getting the opportunity to be on K-State’s beautiful campus as a high school student definitely felt like a vacation for me,” he said. “I remember going up to random students and asking them about their college experience, and every single student was so welcoming and nice to me.”
By Kate Ellwood
Curated from From DECA to the College of Business Administration: A full-circle K-State moment