SUNY Fredonia’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team was named a regional champion by SIFE USA after winning its league at the Regional Competition, held April 11 in New York City. As a result, the team will advance to the National Championship in Kansas City, Mo., in late May. |
SUNY Fredonia’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team was named a regional champion by SIFE USA after winning its league at the Regional Competition, held April 11 in New York City. As a result, it will advance to the SIFE National Championship, which takes place May 22-24 in Kansas City, Mo.
Fredonia’s eight-member team bested six other private and public universities in winning its league, one of seven such groupings that together comprised nearly 40 institutions — many which far exceed Fredonia in enrollment size and name recognition — competing from 10 states.
The annual competition is hosted and sponsored by SIFE USA, which works with leaders in business and higher education to mobilize university students to make a difference in their communities while developing their skills to become socially responsible business leaders.
Participating students form teams on their campus and apply business concepts to develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. Through the SIFE USA Regional Competitions and USA National Competition, teams are provided a forum to present the results of their projects, and to be evaluated by business leaders serving as judges.
The Manhattan victory marks a return to the top for Fredonia’s vaunted SIFE team, which had earned a staggering 13 consecutive regional championships at its Cleveland and New York City regional competitions through 2010, before slipping to a fifth-place finish last year.
“I am especially proud of this group, as they went from fifth to first in just one year,” said School of Business Professor Donald Barnes, the team’s faculty advisor. “I am also really proud of the team because New York City is considered one of the toughest regionals.”
Dr. Barnes added that feedback from one of the judges indicated that SUNY Fredonia was a unanimous winner in its league, with many judges giving the team a perfect score.
This year’s competing team members included Emily Bird (president), Stephany Zambito (vice president), Justen Floss, Shannan Keefe, Chris Schilling, Clair Wisniewski, Heather Wohaska and Nate Zager. Other team members who were paramount in supporting the presentation team, included Jordan Bernstein, Charlie Callahan, William Fuller, Marissa Imiola, Raul Lopez, Sharon Malfesi, Ashley Post, Matt Rockow, Kristen Schoenbeck, Elise Wilkin, Kemoy Wright and Brian Ziolo.
