From DECA to the College of Business Administration: A full-circle K-State moment
The Kansas State University College of Business Administration will host the DECA State Conference on March 1 and 2, welcoming high school students from across Kansas. With its rich tradition of preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management, DECA plays a critical role in developing future business professionals.
When Paul Nguyen attended the Kansas DECA State Career Development Conference at K-State as a high school student for the first time in 2024, he didn't realize he was stepping into the first chapter of his college story. Now a double major in accounting and marketing at K-State, he can say with certainty that experience helped shape both his confidence and his future.
DECA's competitive structure gave him confidence heading into college, he said. The emphasis on performance indicators, real-world scenarios and timed, comprehensive exams helped him feel prepared for the rigor and expectations of college-level business courses.
"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."
Even during a demanding high school schedule filled with honors and college coursework, Nguyen said the opportunity to compete and spend time on campus was worth it.
"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 coming up to a random student and asking them about their college experience, and every single student was so welcoming and nice to me."
Today, Nguyen is deeply involved in the College of Business Administration through the Menard Family Scholars, Rise Up Scholars and Alpha Kappa Psi programs. He is even working to establish a Collegiate DECA chapter at K-State and is helping organize this year's conference.
"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."
Why the judges matter
Behind every successful DECA conference are the volunteer judges who bring real-world perspective, encouragement and expertise. Judges do more than score roleplays. They help students gain confidence, clarify career interests and envision what's next.
For Nguyen, those moments mattered.
"DECA teaches business skills and confidence in a way that sticks," he said. "It helped me see what was possible."
Get involved as a DECA judge
No prior judging experience is required to participate in the DECA conference. Judges can review the full roster of competitive events in advance at deca.org/compete to find areas that best match their experience and interests. Additional information and judging guidelines will be provided upon registration.
Interested in volunteering and making an impact on the next generation of business leaders? Sign up to judge online.
By serving as a DECA judge, you help shape experiences that may influence students' confidence, career paths and even their college choice, just as DECA once did for Nguyen.
— Submitted by Ruthie Gergeni