Pitt PBL Portal

On November 2, PBL held a bake sale in the lobby of Sennott Square. Organized by Bill Bickel and Chris O’Neill of the Finance team, the 6 hour sale turned out to be a great success!

PBL kicked off November with a study abroad panel and the launch of the new calendar! The night began with a Q&A session and we then broke up into regions of the world. A few select members represented different countries and gave others the opportunity to ask questions and gain a new perspective of study abroad experiences. When everyone’s questions were answered, the new calendar was launched and we were able to sign up and order them. In addition, to the awesome group of people, the great information, and the gorgeous new calendar, we had leftovers from the bake sale!

November 10, 2009 marked yet another page in the Phi Beta Lambda history book, for it was the night of the first non-profit panel held by PBL. Lauren Smith, VP of Service, was the brains behind this event. Her vision of informing CBA students of the numerous opportunities non-profit organizations have to offer was successful.

This November, PBL and the CLDC paired up to host a financial planning workshop all about handling your finances after graduation. Colleen Carr, from the financial advising firm of Waddell & Reed, presented the workshop to a group of PBL members and CBA students. The workshop covered numerous financial issues that college students worry about dealing with after graduation. How do I begin to pay off my student loans? What is the best way to save up money for a car, house, etc? When should I start saving for retirement, and should I enroll in my company's retirement plan?

Ruth Modzelewski, a mission coordinator of the Pittsburgh affiliate branch of the Susan G Komen for the Cure spoke to a group of us at the William Pitt Union a few weeks ago. She spoke to us about many parts of the foundation including the history, recent news and accomplishments, and current objectives for the future of the foundation. She explained how the foundation started with a sister’s promise to her dying sister that she would speed up breast cancer research and try to end breast cancer forever. We were told that Susan G.

This October, Pitt PBL was fortunate enough to have one of its alumni members, Ryan Varley, recent graduate of CBA, come in to give a professional development presentation on how to select the right job. The presentation focused on his own experiences in selecting a job and how he made his final decision. He first introduced two full time job offers he was presented with during his senior year for post-graduation. One had a higher salary with few benefits and the second had a lower salary with better benefits.

Phi Beta Lambda: Pitt’s Business Leader’s (PBL) held its 4th Annual Charity Poker Tournament on October 18th, 2009 to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Susan G. Komen foundation was established in 1982 and is the largest source of nonprofit funds geared towards fighting breast cancer. Although Susan G. Komen had breast cancer, she never took time to stop and care about her own condition. She was constantly trying to make life better for other women also fighting breast cancer. This October marks 25 years of National Breast Cancer Awareness.

On November 13th, the University of Pittsburgh chapter of Phi Beta Lambda hosted its 2009 Job Shadowing Day. With the hard work and impressive leadership of junior PBL member Rachel Strittmatter, the event was a great success. Open to freshman and sophomores within the College of Business Administration, 40 students had the opportunity to spend half a day at the offices of thirteen different companies. With a high number of company participants, students from all business majors were able to find a company that matched their interests.

Several thousand members of Phi Beta Lambda, the world's largest and oldest business student organization, from colleges and universities across the country gathered June 21-24 for the organization's annual National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, GA. The University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration's chapter was represented by five delegates and advisor Kate McConnell, director of CBA's Career and Leadership Development Center. The annual conference includes competitive events and workshops for students.

Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) is a nationwide professional business organization dedicated to professional and leadership development. As Pitt's Business Leaders, Phi Beta Lambda accomplishes its vision by planning and engaging in a variety of service, professional development, fundraising, and social endeavors.