SIFE to “Make a world of difference”
Logan residents have a great opportunity to gain a better sense of knowledge about the business world with a new-founded organization on campus called SIFE, Students In Free Enterprise.
SIFE, a nationwide and worldwide organization, gained footing at Utah State last semester through Brad Jowers, who was also president last semester.
“We exist to provide youth and adults with basic knowledge of free enterprise,” said Public Relations Officer and Marketing Vice President, Brett Parson.
The club wants to make a long-lasting impression on the community by teaching people about free enterprise, entrepreneurship, working with financial matters and marketing skills so they aren’t taken advantage of, Parson said.
SIFE has already begun to make its mark on Cache Valley. The club has worked with CAPSA (Community Abuse Prevention Services Agency), teaching people coming out of a tough situation about the financial world to help them find employment.
They also teach basic computer skills and technical matters of the computer at the Lifetime Learning Center teaching. An added bonus about this is that they teach people in different communities, Parson said.
This organization will run a Spanish-speaking workshop Saturday in the Taggart Student CenterSunburst Lounge. Registration will begin at 10:30 a.m., and classes will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The workshop has four different parts to it. The first, checking and savings, will focus on marketing money, doing transfers using credit cards. The second part will focus on basic budgeting by using coupons and shopping sales. The third will focus on housing, including real estate investing. The last will offer instructions on the basics of taxes.
“The objective of the workshop is to benefit the Latin Community in Logan with education in economics and financial accounting in their everyday lives,” said SIFE project leader Amy Hiers.
This is only the beginning of the end of SIFE’s endeavors. It is planning a project to help orphans in Russia find employment.
They are also planning to organize a simulation city for elementary students in Brazil. It will have mock banks, stores, food businesses and different ways to pay for all expenditures – by credit card, check or cash. This will teach students the roles of how a city runs.
They will also organize simulation cities in Costa Rica and parts of California.
SIFE will also put on a fashion show in the coming months to promote the fashion/textile majors at USU.
The students of SIFE are supported by adviser Gayleen Chandler.
They got a lot of help getting started from Weber State University SIFE adviser Denise Woodberry.
They’re also supported by corporate sponsors, including Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, Kinko’s Copies and the Herald Journal.
“Our sponsors not only support us financially, but they advise on what decisions should be made,” Parson said.
The most important aspect in SIFE is the opportunity to serve people in the community and learn about the world of business, Parson said.
“You can join just for the service factor, to see if you will survive in the business world and there are career fairs where you could possibly get a job,” Parson said.