DECA provides a lasting difference beyond high school into college and your career. Through DECA’s competitive event experiences and numerous leadership opportunities, the skills members gain from DECA can help them stand out.
Rushil Sahai is an exceptional California DECA member who, over the course of his four years in DECA, has pushed himself and taken advantage of the many opportunities DECA offered. Rushil is currently a senior at Foothill High School. He has served as a chapter officer and currently serves as the Vice President of Finance on the Northern California District Action Team. He has won time and time again at DECA conferences, taking home 1st Place ICDC Glass in 2023 for the Automotive Services Marketing event. Below, he has shared four of his biggest takeaways after spending four years in DECA!
Member Spotlight: Rushil Sahai, Foothill High School, Senior
- Gaining valuable leadership skills
- Through DECA, I have had the opportunity to serve on my chapter’s officer team as the Director of Communications as well as on the district level serving as the VP of Finance. As the Director of Communications, I learned how to work on a team of professionals while managing my own tasks. It gave me the foundation I needed to begin working as the District VP of Finance. As a district officer, my responsibilities included chapter visits and hosting workshops at minicons. My time as a district officer has ensured that I am prepared for my future endeavors.
- Competing with the world’s best
- Every year of my competitive career, I have been fortunate to qualify for the International Career Development Conference. This competition brings in about 20,000 students from all over the world each year. Within each conference category, the best competitors from each region compete for the coveted DECA glass. While competing, I realized the importance of preparation and adaptability.
- Networking with business professionals
- The best part about attending all the conferences is meeting business professionals who work in careers that interest you. It gives you insight into the corporate world and allows you to branch out your network. Through DECA, I have received numerous internship opportunities while speaking with business professionals.
- Improving your public speaking
- One of the most underrated perks of joining DECA is that your speaking skills will drastically improve. From my freshmen year till now, I have seen the difference between how I speak and how I perform in competitions. The fear of speaking in front of crowds and individuals completely goes away once you start developing your skills within DECA
From competition to leadership from the local to international scale, Rushil has truly Experienced the DECA Difference. We are so grateful Rushil joined the California DECA community and can’t wait to see the amazing things he will accomplish in the future!