RICE LAKE, WI — Northwood Technical College students from the Ashland and Rice Lake campuses delivered strong performances at the 2026 Business Professionals of America (BPA) National Leadership Conference held May 6 to 10 in Nashville, Tennessee, earning multiple top national placements.
The conference brought together top students from across the nation to showcase technical knowledge, professionalism, and career-ready skills in business, administrative, technology, finance, and health-related categories.
(Northwood Technical College students and BPA club advisor Brenda Kretzschmar attended the 2026 Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, where students earned multiple top national placements. Pictured from left are Anthony Justich, Amy Drain, Brenda Kretzschmar, Evan Sensenig and Katherine Hegg.)
Northwood Tech congratulates the students and BPA club advisor Brenda Kretzschmar for earning the following national top-seven placements:
- Amy Drain, a student in the Medical Administrative Professional program on the Rice Lake campus, placed first in Health Insurance & Medical Billing, sixth in Intermediate Word Processing, and seventh in Health Administration Concepts.
- Anthony Justich, a student in the Business Management program on the Ashland campus, placed second in Database Applications, third in Ethics & Professionalism, and sixth in Management, Marketing & Human Resources Concepts.
- Evan Sensenig, a student in the Accounting program on the Rice Lake campus, placed sixth in Payroll Accounting and seventh in Financial Math & Analysis Concepts.
- Katherine Hegg, a student in the Business Management program on the Rice Lake campus, placed third in Integrated Office Applications and seventh in Legal Office Procedures.
“These accomplishments reflect the high-quality education and hands-on learning opportunities available through Northwood Technical College programs,” said Brenda Kretzschmar, Northwood Tech BPA advisor. “The students’ success demonstrates how classroom instruction translates directly into real-world business and professional skills. I’m incredibly proud of the professionalism, preparation, and dedication these students displayed throughout the national competition.”
While reflecting on her time at the conference, Amy Drain said, “Competing at the national level was both an exciting and rewarding opportunity. It was a great chance to apply the skills I’ve learned at Northwood Tech and gain experience that will help me in my future career.”
In addition to competition events, students attended leadership sessions, connected with peers and professionals from across the country, and further developed workplace and communication skills that will benefit them in their future careers.
To learn more about business and office-related programs at Northwood Tech, click here.
About Northwood Technical College
Northwood Technical College, a nationally top-ranked college and 2026-27 Gold Military Friendly School, has served the educational and career needs of more than 14,000 residents of Northwest Wisconsin each year for 115 years. Support of our donors is appreciated as it removes financial roadblocks for students. To help, click here.
Northwood Tech is a member of the Wisconsin Technical College System, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and an Equal Opportunity/Access/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer and Educator. For more information, click here, or call 800.243.9482.
Last Update: May 29, 2026 10:28 am CDT
