Students in Free Enterprise in Top 10 Percent

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University of Arkansas SIFE students at the 2010 SIFE USA National Exposition in Minneapolis.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A team from Students in Free Enterprise, a student organization at the University of Arkansas, has placed second runner up in the opening round of 2010 SIFE USA National Exposition competition, held in Minneapolis, Minn., May 11-13.

Susan Bristow, faculty adviser in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, said, “A second runner up finish puts our team in the top 60, or top 10 percent, of United States SIFE teams. The team is made up of very talented students who represented the University of Arkansas very well.”

For the competition, the team had 24 minutes to present its projects for the academic year before a panel of judges, which included business leaders – analysts to chief executives of major corporations. The presentations were followed by a question and answer period. Some of the team’s projects include a computer skills institute for adults; a one-day training session for 9^th grade teachers in the foundation of economics; marketing research for a major consumer project company; a student program to create and market recycled products; and an environmental audit for local businesses; an ethics audit for a local business; credit education; and a project to reduce lighting expenses for area housing authority.

The students included: Jordan Frevert, graduating senior in transportation and logistics; Katie Goll, junior management and German major; Brian McCaster, junior international management major; Michael Miller, junior accounting and finance major; Shelby Mohs, sophomore marketing major; David Noudaranouvong, junior business economics major; Meagan Stellpflug, graduating senior in management and mathematics; Jared Thomas, junior accounting major; Kaleah Thomas, senior marketing major; and Joey Van Matre, junior international business, economics and Spanish major.

In addition, this team placed third nationally in the Waste Management-sponsored environmental sustainability special topic competition under the leadership of student Morgan Stellpflug, the University of Arkansas environmental sustainability criterion manager. The team also placed in the top 20 in the Campbell Soup-sponsored “Let’s Can Hunger Challenge” under the leadership of student Harry Wilmoth.

Bristow said, “Last year was only the second time in our SIFE team’s history that we did not win a regional championship and advance to national competition. The experience humbled us and brought with it a renewed sense of purpose. We are extremely proud of the entire SIFE team for digging deeper and coming back strong.”

SIFE is housed in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. SIFE is a global, nonprofit organization active on more than 1,800 university campuses in over 40 countries. SIFE offers students the opportunity to develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching principles of free enterprise, thereby improving the standard of living for millions in the process.