MSU SIFE qualifies for national competition

Missouri State University's Students In Free Enterprise team has returned to the Ozarks as regional champion after an April 3 competition in Dallas.

MSU SIFE competed at one of 16 regional competitions held across the U.S. in March and April. In Dallas, MSU competed against teams from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

SIFE is a Springfield-based international nonprofit group that is active on more than 1,400 university campuses in 48 countries. The organization works to create economic opportunities via outreach projects that focus on market economics, entrepreneurship, success skills, financial literacy, environmental sustainability and business ethics.

During the current academic year, the MSU team organized 17 projects in the Springfield community, including SIFE City, which taught 360 Willard Intermediate School students how to apply for jobs, balance a check book, deposit pay checks, campaign and vote for elected officials. The program also covered ethics.

The next step for the MSU team is to compete in the SIFE National Competition May 10-12 in Philadelphia.