FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas Students in Free Enterprise team was first runner up in its league at the SIFE National Exposition held May 6-9 in Dallas. The UA SIFE organization is housed in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

More than 80 teams participated, and the UA team placed among the top 40 national teams in the competition, which is based on the community-based projects that each team carries on through the year. The projects are designed to teach the principles of free enterprise. The top four teams were La Sierra University, Riverside, Calif; University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz; Drury University, Springfield, Mo.; and Heritage University, Toppenish, Wash. La Sierra University will represent the United States at the SIFE World Cup competition in New York City this fall.

 “Our students did an outstanding job and represented the University of Arkansas well,” said Susan Bristow, SIFE faculty adviser and Walton College instructor. “SIFE offers students the opportunity to develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise, hopefully improving the standard of living for people in the process.”

Students representing the university at the national competition included Jordan Frevert, Tori High, Sara Jackson, Becky Miller, Amanda Otto, Ryan Smith and Tanya Welihindha. Other SIFE students participating included Matt Balcerak, Stephanie Bond, Lucas Finch, Lance Flynt, Megan Franklin, Bolatbek Junussow, Yutaka Kunisato, Tarah McConnell, Rocky Mills, Jannae Rieske, Robert Salinas and Jessice Turk.

In addition, Renee Clay, coordinator of cooperative education and internships accompanied the students to the competition. Clay was instrumental in helping the team prepare for the competition and has also been involved with the projects and programs. 

SIFE is a global, nonprofit organization that is changing the world through highly dedicated student teams on more than 1,600 university campuses in 40 countries. Guided by faculty advisers and supported by businesses around the globe, SIFE teams teach important concepts through educational outreach projects, including market economics, entrepreneurship, personal and financial success, and business ethics to better themselves, their communities and their countries. Each year, SIFE competitions are held worldwide, drawing together thousands of students and business leaders to pay tribute to extraordinary educational outreach projects.

“We encourage students to get involved in SIFE,” said Bristow. “It is truly a wonderful and rewarding service-learning opportunity, and the students take what they learn in the classrooms and apply it in real-life community service. SIFE students can live the SIFE World Headquarters tag line: 'Changing the World.’”