Andrews Enactus Wins Regional Competition

Team to tackle nationals in May

The Andrews Enactus team celebrates their win at the regional event in Chicago last month. If they continue to do well they could progress to the international event in Toronto, Canada, this fall.

In March 2016, the Andrews University Enactus team took first place as one of four winning teams at the Enactus Regional Competition in Chicago. Enactus is an international nonprofit community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. The Andrews University Enactus team is a chapter of this international organization.

“Having an Enactus group is important to Andrews and the community because it bridges the gap between them,” says Arleni Calderon, president and senior business management major.

The 2015–2016 Enactus officers are Calderon; William Down, vice president and junior marketing major; Sarah Henry-Saturne, secretary and sophomore management major; Olabode Ogidan, project coordinator and senior management and information systems major; and Frank Da Silva, marketing director and senior international business major. The Enactus organization faculty sponsors are Jacquelyn Warwick, professor of marketing and Betty Gibson, assistant professor of computer science and information systems.

“Dr. Warwick is instrumental in pushing us to be the best team we can be,” says Calderon. “She has definitely taught us tenacity, always pushing us to be our best selves.”

The competition was designed to gauge the level of impact that various Enactus groups had in their local communities. Students presented their projects to a panel of 17 judges from various Fortune 500 companies.

The Andrews chapter completed a number of projects this school year: CREATION Health, High School Partnerships and Final Exam Care Packages to name a few.

The CREATION Health project, led by Da Silva, was based on the book of the same name which teaches eight pillars of health, with each letter of the word “Creation” representing a pillar: Choice, Rest, Environment, Activity, Trust, Interpersonal Relationships, Outlook and Nutrition. For two days a week for four weeks in six classrooms, Enactus taught these health principles with short talks, videos and a variety of fun activities to youth in the community. This was followed by a health fair to involve the parents and local community. Lastly, Enactus raised $3,250 toward both the health fair and a field trip, since the schools are no longer able to budget trips.

The High School Partnerships project, lead by Ogidan and Calderon, was a collaboration with Berrien Springs High School. The team helped at the one-day “Business Bash,” which allowed juniors and seniors to learn more about topics related to their futures after graduation. Enactus members discussed finding funding, choosing the right college and selecting a major. The team also hosted a second event, “Code Girl,” aiming to educate young girls on the benefits of choosing a degree in computer science.

“My role on the executive team was project coordinator,” says Olabode Ogidan. “Despite the twists and turns, the most enjoyable part was hearing our name called at regionals for the next round at nationals. Enactus has allowed me to practice and apply what I’ve learned in the classroom.”

The Final Exam Care Packages project, led by Karla Mulzac, junior business administration pre-med major, and Lukonde Mwinga, junior business administration pre-med major, was created as a fundraiser for the Enactus team. They offered care packages for both fall and spring semesters in order for parents to reach out to their college student during the stressful week of final exams. Parents purchase the packages and they are hand delivered by Enactus to the students the Friday before exams.

“Using our creativity and available resources, we establish new programs designed to help people,” says Calderon. “Because making a difference and helping others is the focus, we learn to be selfless. The goal is to make an impact and a positive difference in the community.”

The Enactus team will present their projects in May at the national event in St. Louis, Missouri. If they are successful in winning at nationals the Enactus team will continue on to the international level, referred to as the World Cup, in Toronto, Canada, in September.

To learn more about how to be a part of or to support the Enactus team at Andrews University, contact the School of Business Administration at sba-info@andrews.eduor 269-471-3632. For information about the School of Business Administration visit andrews.edu/sba.