SIFE helps students manage finances
Students In Free Enterprise is a worldwide non-profit organization active in over 40 countries and territories.
According to its Web site, SIFE was founded in 1975, and has become one of the biggest university based organizations in the world
SIFE is funded by monetary contributions from corporations, entrepreneurs, foundations, government agencies. Working in partnership with business and higher education, SIFE establishes student teams on university campuses.
“SIFE gives GC&SU students the opportunity to work in the community and campus, lessons on how and why the free enterprise system benefits us all,” said faculty advisor Dr. Rick Bialac. “We work with students, peers, and adults in the community. It also gives the opportunity for student recognition as we compete against other schools based on the impact of our educational programs.”
The purpose of SIFE is to help student development for enterprise through community, academic and leadership involvement.
“SIFE is about community service, and its about meeting an essential need – teaching people to better understand and manage their finances,” said Andrew Townsend, president and senior project leader GC&SU SIFE.
SIFE is open to all majors. Chemistry, economics, and business are just a few of the current majors involved in SIFE.
“SIFE appealed to me because I wanted the chance to help people who don’t have the chance to learn about how to manage their money or start a business with their degree,” said Cathy Lyles, public relations manager and exercise science major
SIFE is active in reaching out to others to teach them about basic aspects of healthy commerce.
The on-campus chapter is still fairly young, it is four years old with about a dozen active members. The GC&SU SIFE group has taken regional awards and honors two years in a row and traveled to the national SIFE competition. They have collected seven trophies and hope to place in the national competition in April 2006 exceeding last year.
The competition involves how the group is accomplishing goals in the local area. At these competitions are a number of their donors such as Wal-mart, Johnson & Johnson, Kodak, and Ford. The competitions are a chance to get internships and jobs with the various companies represented. They are only offered to SIFE members.
The GC&SU chapter is always looking to grow and open to new ideas, and is very involved in the campus and around our community. They are involved with training session on personal finance, working with Habitat for Humanity and currently are implementing a project for Eagle Ridge Elementary to raise funds and to engage students in a creative project.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Oct 21 2005. Filed under News.
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