The new Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Club aims to increase student access to various opportunities focused on business and leadership development, from regional conferences to competitive events with categories like public speaking, finance, and marketing.
Importantly, through these opportunities, they can practice a crucial skill needed to succeed in the corporate world: networking. The FBLA hopes to connect students to business professionals, experts, and simply other like-minded peers.
However, the core idea behind the club was finding a way to address the “lack of opportunities for business extracurriculars at Malden High,” said Junior President Helen Nie. Motivated to help MHS students succeed with a path in business, Nie was joined by juniors Alex Tse, Mengyao Huang, and Jessica Chen in founding the club.
However, the FBLA Club extends beyond corporate business: it caters to students in “all sectors and different areas of interest,” said Tse, who serves as Vice President. These include “healthcare and administration and cybersecurity,” added Nie, who assured that the club “tailors our events based on what our members are interested in.”
“After going to the first meeting, I became more and more interested in the club,” expressed sophomore Ian Ian Ho. “I could definitely see myself more involved in the future, and I want to be an officer to keep the club going and expand it to more people.”
Currently, the club members are preparing for the FBLA’s Massachusetts State Leadership Conference (MA SLC) coming up in April. This year’s state competitions are all objective tests, which they will take in the coming week.
To participate in this competition and more, members must pay dues: $65 for the MA SLC, $10 for national competitions, and $10 for state competitions. However, they are committed to lowering these costs for members. “We have already fundraised more than $280+ and put it all towards lowering the membership and competition fees,” said Tse.
“I hope to inspire members to find their passion and pursue their ambitions,” concluded Nie. “I believe that the core of success lies in hard work, and I would like to inspire others to live by it.”
