When Britney Le transferred to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln from Minnesota, she saw an opportunity to bring something new to campus. Drawing on her background in DECA from high school and college, she founded the first and only Collegiate DECA chapter in Nebraska.

“I knew DECA would be a valuable addition to campus,” said Le, a junior marketing major from Lincoln. “It provides skill development, networking and career preparation for students in business and beyond.”

Le and a group of students worked last summer to establish DECA as a recognized student organization at the university, create bylaws and recruit members. By the fall, the chapter was fully active, hosting a table at the College of Business Back to School Bash, bringing in guest speakers and collaborating with other student organizations.

As Nebraska’s only Collegiate DECA chapter, members automatically qualify for the organization’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC). However, the group decided to first test their skills at the Minnesota State Career Development Conference this spring. Competing against experienced chapters, Nebraska students made an immediate impact.

Jacob Hyder, sophomore management and marketing major from Omaha, Nebraska, won first place in marketing management, a category with two rounds due to a high number of competitors. Nick Loriaux, sophomore finance major from Lincoln, placed first in entrepreneurship and operations, while Le earned second place in fashion merchandising and marketing.

“The competition really showcased the versatility of DECA,” said Kody Maguire, assistant director of recruitment for the College of Business and the chapter’s advisor. “It’s not just for business majors — for example, one of our members, Ellie, is studying architecture. The skills you gain in communication, problem-solving and leadership translate across industries.”

Collegiate DECA allows students to compete in individual and team-based events that test their knowledge in business scenarios. Participants take assessments and present role-play solutions in front of judges, a format that mimics real-world professional challenges.

“We decided not to attend ICDC this year so we could focus on building a strong foundation for future members,” Le said. “Our goal for next year is to increase membership, have more students compete and secure funding through fundraising and donations to go next year.”

The Nebraska Collegiate DECA chapter meets Wednesday evenings and is open to students of all majors. The group also engages with high school DECA students, recently hosting a district competition at the College of Business to, in part, build awareness of the program’s opportunities at the collegiate level.

“With Nebraska’s strong high school DECA presence, we want students to know they can continue growing their skills with DECA in college here at Nebraska,” Maguire said. “This chapter is just getting started, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.”