SIFE Motto

SIFE

We have a motto : Don't Be A Spark, Be a Flame! Let the ideas flow, the friendships grow and the enthusiasm spread like wildfire.

Students in Free Enterprise or SIFE began in 1984 with the support of the Walton Family and their company: Wal-Mart. The SIFE program provides UCA students with opportunities for practical application of classroom knowledge, and development of teamwork skills, leadership skills, and communication skills. In short, real experience is credited to a students resume, providing the student with a hiring edge.

The UCA-SIFE organization locates student leaders who are interested in careers associated with retailing, computers systems, marketing or management. The leadership and teamwork developed by students during their time in college is just as valuable to employers as are specific skills taught in classroom settings.

The UCA-SIFE organization also asks for the support of the business community. Members are asked to be on our Business Advisory Board, to serve as a sounding board for the students ideas. The practical experience these business community leaders can bring to our students is immeasurable. Our Business Advisory Board is composed of leaders from two banks, the Conway School System, a Taco Bell Representative, and a local Dentist. We invite other interested leaders in our community to support us in helping students.

Each spring, with generous university support, UCA students present their projects, in live 30-minute presentations, to business leaders in a competitive format. The students are competing for cash awards and more importantly, job offers. The judges are typically corporate representatives or business owners. Many of the firms participating in the judging are corporations which do not recruit on the UCA campus; thus increasing the opportunities for our students to receive attractive offers.

As the Sam Walton Fellow for the UCA Campus, Dr Armand Picou is working with students to develop and teach themselves and others about free enterprise and market economics, and business principles. If you would like to get involved with SIFE, or have a hard working club officer you would like to help, please contact us. Armandp@mail.uca.edu or 450-5329.

College of Business Administration · University of Central Arkansas · 201 Donaghey · Conway, AR 72035 · (501) 450-3106
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This page was last updated on Wednesday, July 12, 2006.