Students in Free Enterprise, also known as SIFE is a nonprofit international student organization that uses marketing and other business tactics to volunteer in the community. SIFE began at VSU in 1994 with seven members and has grown to 200 members. The group is also active in 47 countries with 1500 college campuses nationwide.
SIFE was originally made for business majors but has spread to other majors, including English, and Biology. “We want to have other majors besides business.” said SIFE Director of Programs, Joe Levin. “We welcome all majors like Education and Mass Media. We want to diversify more.”
SIFE’s projects include traveling to middle schools to help children save money and going to local high schools to give job search skills. Other projects also include traveling to Guatemala and Kenya in their Outreach Programs to help with Marketing. “Hotel Grange in Guatemala contacted SIFE and Nikki Mitchel and Cameron Hoops went to help.” Levin said.
SIFE’S Upcoming Projects include the Blazin’ Shamrock Classic and Elmo Loves the Earth Carnival. The Shamrock Classic is an annual golf tournament takes place March 5 starting at 11:00 am. and will be held at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club. The tournament is also a fundraiser and is open to all and includes cash prizes to the top teams. Elmo Loves the Earth Carnival will take place on Friday, March 12 at 1:30 to 3:00 pm. The three day program helps teach kindergartners how to recycle and understand the importance of caring for the environment. In their attempts to for helping in the community, SIFE would also like to have more adult audiences by helping with taxes and businesses. Money Smarts, which began on Monday, is a 10-week program that educates men and women who reside in shelters on savings, checking accounts and loans. At the end of the session, the participants are able to open up checking and savings accounts with BAB bank. The organization registers eight to ten thousand hours a year and gets recognitions from SIFE Nationals. They have also placed first in The Regional Competition for the past 15 years.
SIFE meetings take place every Wednesday at 3:30 and for more information on SIFE go to http://teach.valdosta.edu/sife/.