The UF SIFE team earned first place in its league at the SIFE USA regional competition in Chicago. Front row, left to right: Pete Dalpiaz, Jason Florence, Dr. Arburn, Corey Redmond. Back row, left to right: Brittany Jones, Shannon Lussier, Rachel Hanke

The University of Findlay’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team took first place in its league at the SIFE USA regional competition in Chicago March 24. The event was one of 17 SIFE USA regional competitions held across the United States in March and April.

Students participating from The University of Findlay are Brittany Jones, president; Jason Florence, vice president; Rachel Hanke, secretary; Shannon Lussier, public relations officer; Corey Redmond and Pete Dalpiaz.

To enter the competition, students were required to put together a 24-minute video and narrative presentation outlining the projects the team worked on during the past year. A five-minute question-and-answer session followed the presentation, which was judged by 21 business professionals from across the United States. The team was evaluated on the impact the members had in teaching business economics skills, financial literacy skills, business ethics and job success skills, and sustainability of the projects.

During the past year, the UF SIFE team taught children about business, organized a Professionalism Week that included an etiquette dinner at UF, taught personal success skills at the Findlay City Mission and created an online bank dubbed Oiler Bank. The group also ran a small business called the BookSwap and participated in a medical mission to Honduras.

Gregory Arburn, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics and finance, director of finance, economics and SIFE, is the team adviser and led the SIFE team to its fifth straight regional championship.

The team will advance to the national level of SIFE competition at the SIFE USA National Exposition May 13-15 in Chicago. SIFE is an international non-profit organization active on more than 1,500 university campuses in 48 countries.