Original: April 12, 2011 Issue 14
By: Liz Whiting and Joel Castillo
Staff and Contributing Writer
On March 3, 2011 the Montgomery College’s Students In Free Enterprise (S.I.F.E) team was named a Regional Champion in the S.I.F.E. Regional Competition in Philadelphia, P.A. Montgomery College SIFE was founded in 2001 as part of the Macklin Business Institute at Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus. The team’s past successes includes winning Rookie of the Year honors in 2001 and being named a Regional Champion six times since 2003.
Last year, they were one of only two community colleges to make it to the National Semifinal Round at the S.I.F.E National Exposition.
S.I.F.E has worked on developing projects that empower people to live better lives. Their projects address a variety of topics, such as market economics, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, personal success skills, environmental sustainability and business ethics.
One of their most recognizable projects is the MBI Café. The MBI Café is a ‘We Proudly Brew Starbucks Coffee’ operational business in the Cafeteria in the Campus Center Building. S.I.F.E. students participate in the marketing, accounting and operational teams as well as help train and oversee the development of the staff, primarily international students. The MBI Café profits are invested towards the S.I.F.E. team as well as transfer scholarships for future students.
Other projects include Walk in My Shoes Global Project, Global E-Waste, One Hen Project and College Budgeting 101. On Earth Day, April 22, they will be collecting shoes and recycled electronics for their projects.
This year, the SIFE team has grown to 41 students, nearly triple where they were just three years ago. The S.I.F.E. team will compete in the 2011 S.I.F.E. U.S.A. National Exposition on May 10-12 in Minneapolis, M.N.
It has become a very popular organization on campus and offers great opportunities to students, even non-business majors. The S.I.F.E. team will compete in the 2011 S.I.F.E. U.S.A. National Exposition on May 10-12 in Minneapolis, M.N.
For more information regarding the S.I.F.E Team please contact [email protected] or visit the Macklin Business Institute Office, 208 Humanities Building, Rockville Campus.
