November 6, 2025
Fourteen St. John’s University students demonstrated their business and technology expertise on the national stage at the 2026 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)Collegiate National Leadership Conference held last June in Las Vegas, NV, earning six top five finishes and continuing the impressive growth of the University’s revitalized FBLA chapter.
The annual conference brings together some of the nation’s most accomplished collegiate business and technology students for competitive events, professional development workshops, leadership programming, and networking opportunities with prospective employers. Participants apply classroom knowledge to real-world business challenges while developing skills essential to their future careers.
Among the St. John’s delegation’s notable achievements were two third-place finishes by Tomas Santos Yciano ’26CCPS in the Computer Applications and Technology and Computer Science Case Competition. He is a student in the University’s Fast-Track program who earned his bachelor’s degree this year in computer science and will graduate with a master’s degree in artificial intelligence and data science in 2027.
Mr. Santos Yciano, who helped reestablish the University’s FBLA chapter, also received the 2026 New York FBLA Collegiate Who’s Who Award, recognizing outstanding leadership, service, and sustained contributions to the organization. He represented New York during the Parade of States and Territories at the conference’s opening ceremony.
The recognition marked the second consecutive year a St. John’s student received the distinction.
“This year’s conference was our best showing yet. We brought more members this year than in the last two years combined, and we performed so well on the national stage with six top-five finishes—the most we’ve ever had up to this point,” Mr. Santos Yciano explained. “I’m very proud of all that we’ve been able to accomplish these last three years, and excited to see what we do moving forward.”
Originally established in 1989, the St. John’s FBLA chapter was reactivated in 2023 and officially recognized in the fall of 2024 by Student Government, Inc. Since then, the organization has emerged as one of New York’s leading collegiate chapters, earning 51 state and national awards, including 10 national top-ten finishes.
Beyond their successful outcomes, participants emphasized the value of translating classroom instruction into practical experience.
Fahmid Zaman ’26CCPS, a student in the Fast-Track program who earned a bachelor’s degree in cyber security systems this year and will graduate with a master’s degree in cyber and information security in 2027, competed in the Technology and Computer Science Case Competition. He credited the experience with sharpening his ability to communicate technical information effectively.
“Competing in the Technology and Computer Science Case Competition with our project was intense, but it really taught me how to think critically and collaboratively under strict time pressure,” he explained. “More importantly, it pushed me to leverage my technical background while learning how to break down and explain complex concepts easily to a nontechnical audience.”
For Brian Perez Alvarado, a cyber security systems major, the competition offered an opportunity to measure his skills against some of the nation’s strongest collegiate competitors. His preparation drew upon his coursework, independent study, and professional certification training.
“When preparing for the conference it felt like all the time I spent in lectures, studying for certifications, and learning about new cyber concepts all just came together for the test,” he recalled. “It was a nice surprise to get third place, but I was happier to see a lot of my classmates be successful in their respective competitions.”
The conference also reinforced the importance of teamwork, professional relationships, and leadership development. Alexis Shover ’26CCPS, a former chapter president who helped establish the organization, reflected on its lasting impact.
“When I look back on my FBLA journey, I won’t just remember the competitions or the awards, I’ll remember the people,” she observed. “From helping found our chapter to serving as president and watching our members shine on the national stage, this experience has shaped me into a stronger leader and a better person.”