CSU, Chico News

The California State University, Chico Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team matched its educational outreach projects against other teams at the 2004 SIFE National Competition in Kansas City, Mo., held May 23-25. The team had earned its place at the nationals at the Regional Competition in Salt Lake City on April 2.

The team brought home a third place award in the ethics category for the Wise Kid, Healthy Kid Youth Entrepreneurship Camp. More than 100 programs submitted proposals for this award, which carried a $1,000 prize.

Narrowly missing out on advancing to the top four final round of competition for the second year in a row, the team finished sixth in the nation overall. They came in second to the University of Arizona in the elimination league. Arizona was the first runner up to the winner, Flagler University of Florida.

One hundred and forty-four teams from across the nation competed, including such prestigious schools as Carnegie Mellon University, College of William and Mary, Texas State University, the University of Southern California and Texas A & M.

Charles Dever from Chico is the CEO of the team, and Jonathan Olson from Pleasanton is the chief technology officer. They and Jovan Johnson from Compton are veterans of the competition and coached this year’s team. The presenters included Courtney Kimball from Yuba City, Kristin Weil from Oceanside, Kristen Demeduk from Tracy, Mollie Perlman from Redondo Beach, and Hanna Ortiz from Chico. In all, 22 SIFE members and faculty adviser Curt DeBerg traveled to Kansas City.

SIFE students participate in local, regional and statewide programs. The programs focus on entrepreneurship education, community service and civic engagement. The theme of this year’s projects was Helping Others Pursue Entrepreneurship (HOPE).

SIFE encourages students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-life situations and to use their knowledge to better their communities through educational outreach projects. SIFE’s domestic projects are the Wise Kid, Healthy Kid Youth Entrepreneurship Camps, Juvenile Hall Consulting, California Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) and the International Trade Fair. They also conducted a Global Marketing seminar.

The Wise Kid, Healthy Kid project provided three camps, two in Chico, one in the fall with 110 participants, and one in the spring with 115 participants, and one in Chester with 60 participants. The students, ranging from 9 to 13 years old, meet with SIFE mentors on five consecutive Saturdays, receive $25 in start-up seed capital and create Web sites, business cards, marketing plans, ethics pledges and businesses. They sell their goods at the Entrepreneurship Carnival.

Another important local project was Juvenile Hall Consulting. Two teams of SIFE students traveled to Oroville, Calif., twice each week to conduct workshops with troubled youth in skills important for jobs: interviewing, dressing for success and positive work habits. They coached them in writing skills, presentation skills and personal financial management skills.

SIFE students were matched with 16 high schools for the SAGE project. High School students participated in a two-day tournament structured much like college SIFE competitions. This year’s 98 judges for the SAGE competition included Congressman Wally Herger and Chico Mayor Maureen Kirk.

Curt DeBerg, professor of accounting and management information systems, serves as adviser for the CSU, Chico team. “We have come so close to being in the top four for two years in a row,” said DeBerg. “Teams compete in leagues to reach the final four. We had standing room only in our league competitions, because other universities know that Chico is one of the teams to beat. This year’s students were phenomenal, and they are ready to go back and win first place next year.”
One of the judges in the semi-final round, John Gremer, management recruitment for Walgreens, sent DeBerg an e-mail after the competition. Gremer wrote, “I am in awe of the great work that [Chico State SIFE students] produce on a regular basis. I know that after all the hard work and effort that it can be disheartening to not win and receive the recognition that goes with it. I also know that to the people you’ve helped learn and become successful, there is no greater champion. We are proud to be associated with your team and look forward to working with you in the future.”

Accompanying DeBerg and the students to Kansas City were advisers Judy L. Sitton, chair of the SIFE Business Advisory Board (BAB); Barbara Derucher, BAB executive committee; and Tim Colbie, owner of Great Escape Travel and member of the BAB executive committee.

Founded in 1975 and active on more than 1,000 college and university campuses in 28 countries, SIFE is a nonprofit organization that works in partnership with business and higher education to provide college students the opportunity to make a difference through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise. For more information, contact Curt DeBerg at 898-4824, or visit http://www.csuchico.edu/sife.

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This entry was posted on Friday, May 28th, 2004 at 8:30 am and is filed under 2004 Spring.