Kansas State University

MANHATTAN — Seven fall graduates from the Kansas State University College of Business Administration will leave Manhattan with more than a diploma this week. They are members of the first group of graduates to receive Professional Advantage certification. 

The Professional Advantage program was started by the college in 2012 to enhance each Kansas State University business student's education and marketability. In Professional Advantage, students receive training in core areas recommended by business leaders to be critical to career success, including leadership, interview and networking skills, diversity, industry knowledge and professional etiquette, among others.

Industry professionals from companies that actively recruit from the university primarily teach the training sessions. The program spans the students' entire time in the College of Business Administration.

"I am proud to see how much students have grown through the program — the company connections they have made and skills they have learned," said Olivia Law-DelRosso, director of the Professional Advantage program. "In addition to Professional Advantage certification, these students were leaders in organizations, excelled during their internships, and many had guidance from Executive Mentors."

The following Kansas State University graduating seniors earned Professional Advantage certification:

Alexis Cook, accounting, Elkhart; Nadia Bahadori, accounting, Kansas City; Stephanie Rucker, management, Overland Park; Kelsey Nelson, accounting, Rose Hill; Jake Pritchard, finance, Valley Center; and Kyle Phetteplace, management information systems, and Monica Shelton, accounting, both from Wichita.

"These are some of the most professional students in the college who are sure to be incredibly successful in their careers," Law-DelRosso said. "I look forward to seeing where their careers take them."