SIFE adviser, 308.865.8189
UNK – The Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team at the University of Nebraska at Kearney will receive one of three top awards in the HSBC Financial Literacy Individual Topic Competition at the SIFE National Competition set for Chicago May 13-15.
According to Dr. Susan Jensen, UNK SIFE adviser, a national SIFE representative has notified her that UNK has placed in the top three of all the teams nationwide. At the awards ceremony, the team will learn if they placed first, second or third. Each of the top three teams will receive a trophy and prize money, with $3,000 going to the first place team, $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place.
This news came on the heels of success the UNK SIFE team had earlier this month at regional competition held in Seattle. The team won a $1,000 prize and a trophy as a national finalist in the financial literacy individual topic competition. Of the more than 800 teams nationwide, only 20 teams received this recognition. In addition, the SIFE team won second runner-up in the overall league competition and earned a trophy.
Dr. Jensen noted that the UNK SIFE was involved in nine projects this past year that addressed the financial literacy component, including seven offered as part of $martMoney Week, three “Dollars and Donuts” workshops, two versions of Financial Jeopardy, a $martMoney Kid essay contest and the “Spend or Save” workshop.
The team also addressed financial literacy in a New Venture Adventure project and through involvement with global entrepreneurs in the KIVA lending program. These events educated people of all ages regarding the use of money and helped the SIFE team prepare for the financial literacy competition.
The following UNK students took part in the SIFE competition in Seattle:
Albion- Keri Carder, SIFE team member, freshman in business accounting;
favorite project: “I liked the New Venture Adventure, because it was fun to listen to all of the students’ ideas and to interact with them as they created a business concept.”
Gothenburg- Chelsey Brock, SIFE team president, senior in marketing; post-graduate plans: “I will be pursuing my MBA at UNK in the fall. I look forward to working with our SIFE team in the future, and I will always be grateful for my undergraduate experiences with SIFE.”
Hartington- Kayla Fischer, SIFE team member, sophomore in accounting; favorite project: “Being a part of this team has given me the opportunity to develop my leadership and communication skills in many different ways. The team has taught me so many things, and I continue to grow along with the team.”
Hastings- Logan Cope, SIFE team fundraising and recruitment chair, senior in business management; post-graduate plans: “I plan to find a company that suits my needs. With the knowledge that SIFE has provided, I know that I will be ready to work on a team and take on tasks.”
McCook- Keith Stritt, SIFE team vice-president, senior in business finance; post-graduate plans: “I hope to pursue my interest in finance by working at a bank or insurance company. SIFE has allowed me to ‘get out there’ and teach others. This has given me more knowledge on how to be an effective leader, and I believe that it will allow me to succeed with any company.”
Randolph- Linda Lange, SIFE team public relations chair, sophomore in business administration; most rewarding part of SIFE: “The most rewarding thing to me was just to see how much we have helped out our community and the fellow students on campus. Hearing positive feedback gives me a great feeling of accomplishment.”
Schuyler- Paul Knutson, SIFE team member, freshman in accounting; favorite project: “I had a lot of fun being Alex Trebek during Financial Jeopardy. It was great to see students get so excited about the topics at hand. I look forward to helping with the project again next year.”
Table Rock- Kelsee Sharpe, SIFE team historian, sophomore in business management; most rewarding part of SIFE: “I enjoyed the chance to take the lead and become a project leader. It was very rewarding to watch a project evolve from start to finish.”
Wayne- Nathan Summerfield, SIFE team member, sophomore in business administration; favorite part of SIFE: “I enjoyed becoming acquainted with the business community of Kearney. I have made important contacts with businesspersons in central Nebraska, which will be beneficial in the future.”
