Image by Timothy Nguyen UMass Lowell's Business Professionals of America chapter members celebrate their top-five finishes at the Massachusetts BPA State Leadership Conference in March, which earned them the right to compete at BPA's national conference in Nashville in May.
When Timothy Nguyen ’24 launched the Business Professionals of America (BPA) chapter at UMass Lowell in 2024, he set out to give students of any major the chance to develop professional skills, build leadership experience and compete in industry-based challenges.
Just two years later, the UMass Lowell chapter has qualified all 10 of its members to compete at the BPA’s national conference in Nashville in early May.
“I’m really proud of what the students have built. They’ve worked incredibly hard for this,” says Nguyen, a business alum who is completing his MBA this spring while also serving as the student advisor of the UML chapter.
Founded in 1966, BPA has more than 60,000 members across 1,800 college, high school and middle school chapters, with a focus on business, information technology and related careers. Students compete in events spanning finance, business administration, management information systems, digital communication and design, marketing, and health administration.
At the Massachusetts BPA State Leadership Conference in March, all 10 UMass Lowell competitors placed high enough in their respective events to advance to nationals.
Chapter president Rylie Hamblin, a sophomore business major from Middleborough, looks forward to competing with the team on BPA’s biggest stage in the Music City.
Image by courtesy Manning School of Business MBA student Timothy Nguyen '24 started the university's BPA chapter as an undergrad two years ago, and he now serves as national vice president for BPA's post-secondary division.
Hamblin joined BPA in high school and soon began serving as a state officer, where she met Nguyen. When Hamblin got to UMass Lowell, she was among the first students Nguyen recruited to help launch the university’s chapter.
Hamblin says the organization has helped her grow personally and professionally.
“I’ve learned how to become a good leader, and it has helped me become more confident,” she says. “I’ve always been a really shy kid, and this helped me learn public speaking.”
Hamblin also values the mentorship opportunities that BPA provides.
“I didn’t really have a mentor growing up, and one of my goals was to be a mentor to those around me,” she says.
Xavier Melo, a first-year biomedical engineering major from Raynham, served as president of his high school’s BPA chapter and was also a state officer. He says the group has helped him think more broadly about his future.
“BPA gives me the chance to connect with professionals and peers from across the country, and it allows me to see all the routes I can use for my degree,” he says. “It helps keep my skills sharp, and I’m constantly learning what’s new in other industries.”
Sophomore education major Serena Nguyen joined the chapter to seek new challenges beyond the classroom.
“I was looking for a club that would teach me the values of leadership and service and how to network,” the Lowell native says. “I didn’t know much about BPA at first, but I knew it would challenge me.”
Image by courtesy In its first year on campus, the university's BPA chapter attended the national conference in Orlando.
“When competing at the state or national level, your chapter is there for you, but it is on you to make sure that you are prepared,” she says.
The chapter meets regularly throughout the semester, with activity increasing during competition season as students prepare for events. Funding from the Student Government Association and support from UMass Lowell’s Days of Giving initiative — where the chapter placed third among student organizations last year in money raised — have helped offset travel costs.
Timothy Nguyen first joined BPA as a student at Lowell High School. When he arrived at UMass Lowell, he stayed involved through a statewide virtual chapter before deciding to bring the organization to campus.
“I knew there were students here who could benefit from this,” says Nguyen, who recruited seven members in the first year.
Nguyen now serves as national vice president for BPA’s post-secondary division — a role he juggles with his MBA studies and a full-time job as a certified financial coach at Hanscom Federal Credit Union.
For him, the chapter’s rapid growth — and the opportunity to compete nationally — has been worth it.
“It’s an exceptional achievement for a chapter in just its second year,” he says.