30 students in Business Professional Association (BPA) left The Nest on Thursday to compete at the State Leadership Conference in Dallas through Sunday.

“The State Leadership Conference is an opportunity for competitors in our chapter to interact and network with other Texas BPA competitors over the course of three days,” BPA President senior Sia Parpelli said. “The competitors compete amongst each other for a chance to go to the National Conference in May which is in Orlando.”

With over 4,000 members present at the conference, Redhawks have the opportunity to meet other students with similar interests.

“I’m most excited about networking with other people in the fields of finance and healthcare,” Parpelli said. “The State Conference provides a really open space for it, and it’s always really fun to meet new people and talk about potential career pathways.”

Students have been preparing over the course of the month for their event with mock written tests and presentations.

“I’ve been preparing for my event by rehearsing my speech and practicing in front of the officers,” senior Aashi Oswal said. “I also really refined my essay and written submission so that I can maximize my points before the competition.”

Senior Veda Mullangi hopes to create lasting memories at her last conference.

“I’m really excited for BPA State because it’s my last high school trip,” Mullangi said. “It’s especially nostalgic because we went to the Anatole in sophomore year too, so it’s kind of like a full circle moment.”