COEUR d'ALENE - Five North Idaho College students took the national stage recently at the Business Professionals of America competition in Orlando, Fla.

NIC BPA chapter students joined over 6,000 conference delegates and participated in business skill competitions, workshops, certification testing, general academic sessions, and the national officer candidate campaigns and elections.

BPA is a national organization for high school and college students preparing for careers in a world-class workforce.

More than 50 competitive events were offered in four categories including Financial Services, Administrative Support, Information Technology and Management/Marketing/Human Resources. NIC competed against both two-year and four-year colleges.

"Our students receive an outstanding education, their national top results are testimonials to the dedication of faculty and staff supporting NIC students," said Philippe Valle, NIC BPA Chapter advisor.

Tabatha Kasper and Vanessa Braun, both from Coeur d'Alene, were named Postsecondary BPA Ambassadors. They both ranked seventh in the Financial Analyst Team category. Braun also finished in the top 10 in both Database Applications and Payroll Business Meeting Management.

Ashley Chaffin of Coeur d'Alene earned first place in Graphic Design Promotion for her poster design advertising the 2014 BPA leadership conference in Indianapolis. Chaffin also finished in the top 10 in Fundamental of Desktop Publishing.

Hannah Shields, of Rathdrum, earned third place in Graphic Design Promotion.

Ryan Maskell of Hayden earned second place in Fundamentals of Desktop Publishing. He also finished in the top 10 for Graphic Design Promotion.

A team of Chaffin, Shields and Maskell were awarded third place for designing and coding a website highlighting the history, venues and landmarks of Indianapolis, where the 2014 National Leadership Conference will take place.

"Most importantly, Chaffin, Kasper, Shields and Maskell are now fully employed locally using the skills and training they earned at NIC," Valle said.

BPA members participated in several local community events as a part of their leadership training and volunteer activities throughout the year, culminating in the Special Olympics, which BPA supports through events nationwide.

"Before I volunteered for the Special Olympics, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Then, as I helped each Olympian, it changed me. I left feeling that they helped me more than I helped them," said Kasper, NIC chapter BPA vice president.

The NIC graphic design program offers three distinctive degrees to best prepare students for employment in the diverse fields of visual communications: print design, interactive media, and video and web design.

For more information about BPA and tours of the new Graphic Design classrooms/labs facilities in Post Falls, email Valle at pfvalle@nic.edu.