IOWA LAKES FACULTY MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD

Iowa Lakes Community College faculty member Debra Jones received a national leadership award at a recent conference in Reno, Nevada.

The Outstanding Service Award is presented annually to individuals who have dedicated time and effort to promote the objectives of Business Professionals of America (BPA) at the national level. The award is selected and given by the National Board of Trustees for BPA.

BPA is a national Career and Technical Student Organization for high school and college students majoring in Business careers which offers competition in over 20 states culminating at the national conference in May each spring.

Jones has served as the Iowa Lakes BPA chapter advisor for 26 years. During this time she has participated in and successfully prepared students for competition at the National Leadership Conference (NLC) annually and served as advisor for two Post-secondary Division National Officers as well as advising over 20 state officers from Iowa Lakes. Since 2005, Jones has represented Iowa and served on the national BPA Classroom Educators Advisory Council (CEAC). CEAC is responsible for maintaining the quality competitive events program that BPA offers students at the high school and college level. Currently, she has been named Chair-Elect for CEAC and will take the leadership helm of the organization at the 2009 NLC.

On a state level, Jones supervises the BPA Iowa Post-secondary Division State Officer team and helps with state leadership conference planning and coordination.  She has made annual presentations at the Iowa Business Education Association conference, promoting BPA and coordinating BPA state officers in making their presentations and exhibits at the conferences.

Debra Jones is the Office Specialist professor at the Iowa Lakes Community College Emmetsburg campus.

Debra Jones, Office Specialist Professor