Alan Hoskins, Supervisor of Public Information
Monday, April 05, 2010
College Advancement
For the ninth consecutive year, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s SIFE Team has qualified for Regional SIFE USA competition.
An acronym for “Students in Free Enterprise,” the KCKCC team will compete in the regional in Rogers, Ark., April 12-13.
A partnership between business and higher education to prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, the KCKCC chapter was established in 2001 by Allen Lenoir, Associate Professor of Business and Sam Walton Fellow.
Students in the SIFE program form teams that serve their communities by developing business projects in the classroom that can be used to solve real world problems for real people. Lenoir said support for the program comes through business and corporation donations and personal contributions of gifts of their time.
Under the direction of Lenoir, the KCKCC team has undertaken several educational outreach projects this year including conducting workshops at the USP Correctional Center in Leavenworth. Taught by Rachel Russell, SIFE Vice President, workshops were conducted on interviewing skills, resume writing and responsible use of credit.
Other chapter goals included enhancement of student achievement, increasing the numbers of students graduating from high school and increasing the number of students prepared for enrollment in post-secondary institutions. Other Educational outreach projects included helping high school and college students understand what are ethical/unethical business practices.
One of 120 SIFE teams in the U.S. selected to participate in the AIG Credit Counseling Challenge, a grant program designed to teach high school and college students the responsible use of credit. “With the grant, the students taught money management, budgeting, the importance of keeping good credit and the various types of savings and are currently giving instruction at Wyandotte High School and KCKCC,” said Lenior.
In addition, two SIFE members, Travis Bergerhofer and Winton Kane, participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program under the direction of Joyce Griffin, KCKCC Professor of Accounting and Site Director of the VITA program. “It’s good to give back to the community and teach others what we have learned in the class room and workshops, “said SIFE Chapter President Donald Miller.
Other members of the KCKCC team include Lanelle Nachbar, Yanghee Sim, Charles Morgan, Tiffany Ford, Silvia Villande, Melissa Diaz, Janet Rodriguez, Sarah Payan, James Baker and Winston Kane.