Meet Junze Sun ’25, who holds the current West High Business Professionals of America record for the most awards won at a single conference. As a member at the school and state level, Sun finds that BPA has influenced his life immeasurably. 

Sun discovered BPA during his sophomore year, and with the encouragement of his friends, he joined the club. He quickly found he enjoyed competing and getting closer with friends and made it to nationals his first year. 

“I was already interested in business and becoming a better leader, so I gave [BPA] a shot and [have] stuck around since,” Sun said. 

Business teacher and BPA advisor Diane Fickel first noticed Sun in his freshman accounting class. She immediately noted his love for business and unfailing commitment to the club, which led to his acceptance to the executive and state leadership board. 

“He’s taken many business courses, and he’s never missed an event,” Fickel said. “He’s just so dedicated to the club.”

Along with his dedication, Fickel has greatly appreciated his character. She feels he adds to the dynamic of the executive board, and they can always count on Sun for his positive attitude.

“What sets him apart is his sincere, authentic care for others,” Fickel said. “His character is outstanding, and that’s going to propel him into very many successful opportunities down the road.”

Another quality Fickel admires is his humbleness, which she has seen displayed on multiple occasions during her mentoring Sun. 

“He’s so successful. He has so many accolades, and you would not know that. He takes his success with stride and appreciates his roots. I can’t tell you all the things that he has accomplished in and outside of BPA and in this school, and not everybody knows that, because he doesn’t boast,” Fickel said.

Gallery • 3 Photos

At the 2024 Spring Leadership Conference, Junze Sun ’25 campaigns for a state officer position with his slogan "Careers and Connections." Photo courtesy of Junze Sun.

Throughout Sun’s time in the club, BPA has been very helpful in giving him the opportunity to meet new people from many different backgrounds.

“You get to collaborate with different students from across the state, and that really puts your teamwork and leadership skills to the test. It’s definitely something unique,” Sun said. 

BPA has taught Sun many things, one being the importance of time management. 

“Time management is a big soft skill that most people learn over time, but BPA definitely helps you, and it helped me a lot personally,” Sun said. 

Another lesson that Sun has learned from BPA is the importance of quality communication when collaborating with others. 

“One of the biggest takeaways I’ve had is the importance of open communication. As a leader in BPA, being able to have that communication is really important to make sure things function smoothly,” Sun said. 

His time in BPA has also helped Sun with his leadership skills, which he now applies to all aspects of his life. 

“As the captain of the tennis team, [leadership skills] come up a lot. The [skills] do transfer really well, not just in tennis, but also to other clubs and activities,” Sun said. “There’s a lot of cooperation and collaboration that goes on, and [BPA] builds your soft skills to get better at being a leader.”

Fickel agrees, noting how much his leadership skills have grown since he first joined BPA.

“I think BPA has helped him, as a tennis captain, to manage others. His ability to work in a team and collaborate has really excelled due to BPA. Instead of staying in the background, he’s stepping up in front,” Fickel said. 

Sun has also found new friendships in BPA. During his time with the executive board and through his events, he has formed new connections that have been important to him throughout his BPA journey. 

“The group that you go with to Nationals, you get a lot closer with, and the executive board for our chapter, I’ve definitely gotten to know those members a lot better,” Sun said. “I’ve been able to rely on them.”

The connections Sun has formed are another aspect of the leadership skills BPA has taught Sun.

“[Networking] helps find new opportunities, whether it be in the future with internships or jobs or just getting to know other people. It really helps [with] not just yourself,” Sun said. 

Sun believes the most important quality of a business leader is understanding how to lead the people you are in charge of.

“Our advisor, Mrs. Fickel, likes to say this a lot, you have to understand the people you’re leading. You’re not just leading to be a leader. You’re leading to help the people you’re leading,” Sun said.

Sun has found the most rewarding experience during his time in the club to be watching his hard work pay off at national conferences. 

“I spent all that time working on the presentation, working together with my team to write that essay and then seeing it pay off when we qualify for nationals,” Sun said. “Seeing everything that I put effort into come to fruition is the most rewarding part for me.”

Sun had already known he wanted to go into the business field, but before BPA, he was unsure of what career specifically. 

“BPA definitely helped me identify what I wanted to do [because] before, I just knew I wanted to do business or finance in general. Now I know a potential career path for me would be something like management consulting,” Sun said. “With BPA, you learn what careers are out there and what you are good at.”

Sun’s advice to possible members of BPA, and in general, is to understand why you are doing what you are doing.

“If they haven’t joined already, join. But be intentional with what you’re doing in BPA. Make sure you have a purpose. Know why you’re doing it. Apply yourself,” Sun said. “You really get out what you put in. It’s not just getting something done, but you’re actively helping yourself by building up the skills that you need to succeed in the future.”

Sun knows what he has learned in BPA will help him for the rest of his life.

“Communication, leadership, things like that — it’s a really big part of BPA that I’ve taken away. Being able to understand other people; being able to understand who you’re leading,” Sun said.