SIFE Team to Compete at National Exposition

VALDOSTA -- Valdosta State University’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) presentation team will compete in the 2012 SIFE USA National Exposition next month, after winning a regional championship in Atlanta on Monday, April 2. This is the team’s 18th consecutive year advancing to the national competition.

“Our SIFE presenting team put VSU in the best possible light,” said Dr. Wayne Plumly, dean of the Langdale College of Business Administration. “Comments by corporate representatives and other attendees made my heart swell.”

During the regional competition, team members were required to present their outreach efforts to a panel of judges who evaluated those efforts based on the impact they had in improving the quality of life for members of the community.

Plumly said that the students spent weeks preparing for the event.

“More importantly, all the volunteer hours that they managed despite full academic loads and working part-time have benefited the community in ways that we may not know for years to come. SIFE advisors Hilary Gibbs, Diane Guess and Jeff Shipley have worked tirelessly to give our SIFE students every opportunity to help others and themselves. ”

The team now prepares to present at the national exposition, which is to be held from Monday May 22 to Wednesday, May 24 in Kansas City, Mo.

SIFE presentation team members include Kai Powell, Ariel Powell, Michael Oppel, Valious Smith, Marcus Shine, Justin McGruder and Anesa Barton.

Valdosta’s SIFE program is one of nearly 600 programs in the United States. Participating students use business concepts to develop community outreach projects that improve the standard of living for people in need. The culmination of the SIFE program is an annual series of competitions that provide a forum for teams to present the results of their projects, and to be evaluated by business leaders who serve as judges. Teams compete first at the regional and national levels, then at the international level when the national champion teams from each country meet at the SIFE World Cup.

For more information, contact Hilary Gibbs at hhgibbs@valdosta.edu.