SU SIFE places third in semifinals of national exposition

Monday, May 19, 2008, By News Staff

Amy Mehringer
315 443 3834

Syracuse University’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) won third place at the semifinals of the SIFE National Exposition, with more than 140 teams in attendance. The team of six Whitman/SU students traveled to Chicago for the May 13-15 exposition after winning the regional competition in April. During the three-day exposition, SU SIFE placed first in its league, which qualified the team for the semifinals.

At the exposition, SU SIFE presented the effects and outcomes of their outreach programs. The student team includes Tamara Feld, Sierra Fogal, April Hace, Dan Kinney, Samina Noorani and Jason Pena.

“Our SIFE team has had an amazing year,” says Dean Melvin T. Stith. “The students have traveled across the country multiple times to take part in regional and national competitions. Every time SU SIFE returns home, they walk in with huge trophies and outstanding awards. I am immensely proud of how successful, polished and accomplished these Whitman students are and I can’t wait to see what they do next year!”

The SU SIFE was established three years ago and the members have already won many competitions and participated in many service projects. In its first year, the team organized relief collection efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina and provided business consulting to Salina Shoes Salon in Syracuse’s South Side neighborhood. The team has ongoing projects working with ESL third graders on basic math and money concepts, and providing seminars and GED tutoring to women who are transitioning from living in a shelter to living independently. SU SIFE also demonstrated its global outreach by visiting Guatemala last year to help Mayan women learn a new skill of jewelry-making, and organized for this product to be sold at the SU Bookstore.