Arkansas Tech’s 14-member SIFE team gave a multi-media presentation of its 2008-09 activities before a panel of judges at 10:45 a.m. Friday.

Shortly after 4:30 p.m., after a full day of observing SIFE teams from 52 universities, the panel returned with the decision that Arkansas Tech was a regional champion for a second consecutive year and for the fourth time since 2003. 

“Our team did exactly what I expected them to do,” said Dr. Linda Bean, who has served as the Arkansas Tech SIFE team faculty advisor since its inception in 2001. “They performed professionally and I was very pleased with how we presented ourselves. The students did wonderful. They stayed up late on Thursday night putting the finishing touches on our presentation, and it all paid off.”

With the regional title, Tech’s SIFE team advances to the SIFE national competition in Philadelphia, Pa., May 10-12. 

SIFE is an organization for business students with member universities in 41 countries. In the United States alone, there are 15,398 students currently active in the organization on 646 campuses.

SIFE teams create economic opportunities in their communities by organizing outreach projects that focus on market economics, entrepreneurship, personal financial success skills and business ethics. 

During the 2008-09 academic year, the Arkansas Tech SIFE organization has participated in programs that educated members of both the on-campus and off-campus communities about cultural differences in business, job interview skills, the basics of banking, the current state of the economy, environmental responsibility, student loans and résumé writing.

Arkansas Tech SIFE members have also gone into the community to teach computer skills to senior citizens through the Area Agency on Aging, partner with local retailer Bath Junkie for a marketing plan and help students at Pottsville High School organize a career fair.

Bean credited the 2008-09 Arkansas Tech SIFE officers for taking ownership of the organization and making the year a success.

 “Every group I’ve had has been a great one, but this year I really feel like we have a fantastic group,” said Bean. “It’s all due to our leadership team. We have a group of officers this year that really took me at my word when I met with them for the first time and told them they had to take responsibility for the club. They have done that, and that type of leadership has helped the whole team and helped in recruiting new members.”

 Jessica Rutlege of Dover (president), Brad McBride of Van Buren (vice president), Brooke Corbitt of Sheridan (treasurer), Blair Sipes of Rison (secretary), Molly Sneed of Charleston (public relations), Meagan Tate of Fort Smith (recruitment) and Kayla New of Dover (Webmaster) are the 2008-09 Arkansas Tech SIFE officers.

 In all, the organization has 46 active members at Arkansas Tech with 10 more students who have already expressed interest in joining next fall.

 In addition to competing against other schools this weekend, Tech students who attended the SIFE event in Dallas had an opportunity to network with employee recruitment professionals from such companies as Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Frito-Lay, Kraft Foods, Liberty Mutual and Walgreens.

 “Our students (at Arkansas Tech) see that they need to be involved in something,” said Bean. “What better group to be involved with than one that can give you an opportunity to practice what you are learning while working with great students and meeting recruiters from some of the largest companies in the world?”

For more information about the Tech SIFE program, contact Dr. Bean at (479) 968-0393 or lbean@atu.edu.