A dozen students won at the state level of the international career development conference, and now they are going to Orlando.

Delta Epsilon Chi members attended the state conference Feb. 13 and 14 at the Lake of the Ozarks. April 11 through 16 the students get to fly to Florida to show their skills at the national level. They will be competing against about 400 schools from across the country. Tim Hochhalter, instructor of marketing, feels his students are ready for the competition.

“I think I could put any of my students up against anyone in the country and they would do just as well,” he said. “They’re just as prepared.”

He said that while he expects the students to do well, he does not know what will happen.

“The competition varies from year to year so it’s hard to predict who will do well,” Hochhalter said. “I don’t want to jinx us either.”

Casey Boyd, junior marketing and international business major, is the president of the club. He placed first in business ethics and third in E-commerce at the state competition. Boyd sees no reason why the group will not do at least “somewhat decent.”

He said this year the group going to nationals has doubled from last year. This is the second year Delta Epsilon Chi members have been able to go to competition at the national level.

Travis Adams, senior marketing and management major, said the competition will consist of a job stimulation. The contestant is given a problem and then has about an hour to come up with a solution. They then present the solution to the judges. He says the competition is helpful for careers and first time attendants.

“It’s just going to be a real good experience as far as my career goes,” Adams said. “Hopefully we’ll get some recognition when we get back. We are all just kind of psyched just to go for the competition.”

Hochhalter said that in the past anyone who placed in the top 10 were invited to the governor’s mansion. The same will be done this year after the competition.

Delta Epsilon Chi is the collegiate form of DECA, a high school business organization. All majors are invited to join the group.