University of Charleston Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team Claims Two National Awards

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University of Charleston 2012 SIFE Team

CHARLESTON, WV (06/07/2012)(readMedia)-- University of Charleston Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) advisors Briana Cicero-Johns and Dr. Scott Bellamy helped lead the team to two national awards and finished in the top 40 overall for the first time in school history at the SIFE National Exposition in Kansas City, Mo., on May 24.

"I am so proud of what our team was able to accomplish this week in Kansas City," said SIFE advisor Briana Cicero-Johns. "To finish in the top 40 and walk away with two other national awards is really special. All of the credit goes to our students for the hard work they put in throughout the school year."

The University of Charleston team also won a $5,000 grant for claiming first-prize in the TIAA-CREF Financially Empowering Gen Y Project Partnership Challenge. The SIFE team was instrumental in creating a financial literacy course for UC students and the community. The grant will ensure that the course is funded for another year.

SIFE is an international organization in which teams of students from over 1,600 colleges and universities learn to apply business skills to develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. An annual series of regional and national competitions provides a forum for teams to present the results of their projects, and to be evaluated by business leaders serving as judges. In addition to the community aspect of the program, SIFE's leadership and career initiatives create meaningful opportunities for learning, and opportunities for employment.

Caption for accompanying photo:

Front (L-R): Briana Cicero-Johns, Trisha Tamrakar, Elyse Surbaugh, Emma Riegert, Aspen Echelmeier, Betsy Wright, and Dean Bethany Meighen

Back (L-R): Dr. Ed Welch, Ryan Moran, Yundi "Raymond" Zhang, Reshab Basnet, Rhys Batt, Adam DeBriae, Dr. Scott Bellamy