UA’s Students in Free Enterprise Team Head for National Competition in Dallas

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Having won first place in the regional competition in Nashville, The University of Alabama’s chapter of Students in Free Enterprise will head to Dallas next month to compete against the first place teams from 15 other regions.

The University’s four-year-old SIFE team was named one of two SIFE 2007 Tennessee Regional Competition champions on March 23 in Nashville, securing its spot in the national competition in Dallas.

The SIFE team was established at the University as part of a worldwide program designed to challenge students to develop community outreach projects. There are more than 800 SIFE teams in the United States, 50 of which the UA team competed against in Nashville.

For the competition, each team is required to develop projects that fit into the categories of market economics, success skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and business ethics. The teams are then judged on the effectiveness of the programs they implemented into their various communities.

The UA SIFE team is no stranger to high finishes. The team was named Rookie of the Year in 2004, first runner-up at regionals in 2006 and regional champion this year.

David Ford, clinical professor and Sam Walton Fellow in the department of management and marketing, is the SIFE team’s adviser.

“I am really proud of this team,” Ford said. “Each team member is confident, competent and ready to go. We’re looking forward to challenge in Dallas.”

The team members are Stephen Davis, senior member and former president, who said he thinks the team will do well at the national competition. The current president is Daniel Whitehead.

Other team members are:

Anthony Johnson, senior from Tuscaloosa, who said he joined SIFE in order to “use the skills I’ve gained by attending UA in the real world.”

Charles Lowman, a junior from Huntsville majoring in finance. “I believed that SIFE would be able to give me a boost above other students going out into the corporate world. SIFE has enabled me to reach many more companies that I had even been thinking about applying to.”

Pamela Greenleaf, a senior from Lakeland, Fla., majoring in management and Spanish, said she became a member of SIFE because “I thought it would be a great opportunity to get involved with the local business community. SIFE is a very well respected business organization that I am proud to be a member of.”

Meredith Hardegree, a junior from Mountain Brook majoring in finance with a concentration in real estate, said she joined SIFE “because I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet new people and participate in community service activities.”

Ford said the UA team presented seven projects at the regional competition, including the Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger initiative. Representatives from Frito-Lay, Pepperidge Farms and Cintas judged students on the impact each project had on the community and how many people were influenced.

The team received a trophy and $1,500 to defray travel costs to Tennessee.

SIFE is a global non-profit organization active in more than 40 countries. SIFE is funded by financial contributions from corporations, entrepreneurs, foundations, government agencies and individuals.

Working in partnership with business and higher education, SIFE establishes student teams on university campuses. These teams are led by faculty advisers and they are challenged to develop community outreach projects that reach SIFE’s five educational topics: Market economics, success skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and business ethics.