RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (April 3, 2008)--Arkansas Tech University won its third Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) regional championship in the last six years during the SIFE Regional Competition and Career Expo March 16-17 in Dallas, Texas.
Tech had previously won the regional title in 2003 and 2004, and it was first runner-up in the competition in 2005 and 2007.
SIFE is an international non-profit organization active on more than 1,400 university campuses in 48 countries. 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.
Arkansas Tech’s 2008 regional champion SIFE team won its title on the strength of its wide variety of programs. The Tech SIFE team’s 2007-08 initiatives included helping create a school supply store at Russellville Junior High School, educating local school children about business ethics, helping high school and college students draft a proper résumé, hosting an event to teach Tech students about cultural differences in business, teaching computer skills to area senior citizens, participating in a mock stock market game with local junior high students and taking a step into real-world entrepreneurship by helping a local business increase its customer volume.
Dr. Linda Bean, associate professor of business, has been the advisor for the Tech SIFE team since it was founded in 2001-02. She said that participation in the program can be an important step toward a rewarding career.
“The judges at the competitions are CEOs and recruiters for companies all over the United States,” said Bean. “When we first started the team that was what most excited me. It is a tremendous opportunity for our students to get exposure in front of potential employers.”
But over the course of seven years in SIFE, Bean has seen several other benefits of the program.
“The students become entirely different people in the way they are confident and not afraid to stand in front of large crowds and speak,” said Bean. “We put them in situations where they have to meet and greet people, and they become more comfortable with that process. The students make all of the contacts for our programs. I am just the facilitator.
“All of this helps them develop leadership skills that are already there, but are just hidden,” continued Bean. “They blossom into a whole new person. It is fun to see young people develop into young adults.”
Senior Ross White of Alma is the 2007-08 president for Arkansas Tech SIFE. Senior Zac Corbitt of Sheridan is treasurer, junior Barrett Featherstone of Eureka Springs is recruiting chair, senior Matt Kreimeier of Hazen is Webmaster, senior Carmen Sanabria of Ola is secretary and junior Natalie Whitehead of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., is public relations chair.
Other Tech SIFE members to participate in the regional competition at Dallas were: seniors Kate Cowie of Paris, Rebekah Cox of Dover, Jessica Fancher of Berryville, Brandon Haubert of Clarksville, Blake McGaha of Batesville, Jessica Rutledge of Dover, Blair Sipes of Rison and Meagan Tate of Fort Smith; juniors Alex Hernandez of Hamburg, Arlene Jakubec of Green Forest, Mark Looney of Benton, Cameron Moore of Russellville and Reiko Muranaka of Yokosuka-Shi, Japan; sophomores Brad McBride of Van Buren, Kayla New of Dover and Molly Sneed of Charleston; and freshmen Brooke Corbitt of Sheridan and Lydia Grate of Atkins.
In all, 50 Arkansas Tech students are active members of the SIFE program during 2007-08. The organization is open to all Tech students.
As a regional champion, Tech advances to the SIFE National Competition May 13-15 in Chicago, Ill. The national champion will go on to the SIFE World Cup in Singapore next fall.
For more information about the Tech SIFE program, contact Dr. Bean at (479) 968-0393 or lbean@atu.edu.
