Free enterprise group travels to Philadelphia for regional competition March 27-28

Free enterprise group travels to Philadelphia for regional competition March 27-28March 23, 2006Carol K. Masiclatclkim@syr.edu

Syracuse University’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team is getting set to participate in its first regional competition, held in Philadelphia March 27-28. Twenty-six students from across campus — including representatives from the School of Information Studies, the School of Education, the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and the College of Law — will participate in the competition.

Each spring, SIFE regional competitions and career opportunity fairs are held in several cities in the United States, drawing thousands of students from around the country. Teams present 24-minute multimedia summaries to judges describing their educational outreach programs. Judges then evaluate how well the teams have taught others a working knowledge of the free enterprise system and select regional champions. Regional champions advance to national competitions and then on to the SIFE World Cup.

“As the faculty advisor for the team, it is a true privilege to work with a team of students from across campus who bring their energy and enthusiasm to the Syracuse community with the goal of empowering the lives of others,” says Amanda Nicholson, assistant professor of retail management and Sam Walton Fellow for the SU SIFE team. “In our endeavors, we teach, we learn and we also remember to laugh and enjoy the unique challenges involved in the messy business of life.”

The SU team was established in the spring of 2005 and has completed four projects in its first year. The team organized relief collection efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina that raised more than $10,500. Another project involved helping Salina Shoes Salon, a local shoe store on Syracuse’s South Side. The SIFE team assisted with the store opening, inventory organization and education of retail fundamentals to the store’s management. It organized two trunk shows to increase the store’s visibility and sales. The team also worked with H.W. Smith elementary school to teach coin values and other basic math skills to third-grade ESL (English as a second language) students. SU SIFE also tutored six women from Chadwick Residence and helped them prepare for the General Education Development (GED) exam. Chadwick Residence is a transitional home in Syracuse for women who are adjusting from living in a shelter to living on their own.

Founded in 1975, SIFE is a global nonprofit organization that helps students develop communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise on their campuses, in their communities and beyond. SIFE also emphasizes teamwork, leadership and community outreach. With more than 1,600 participating colleges and universities in 40 countries and territories, SIFE is one of the largest university-based organizations in the world.

For more information about the SU SIFE team, contact Nicole Walters at nmwalter@syr.edu.