Briar Cliff University SIFE Team Named Regional Champions

SIOUX CITY, Iowa –Briar Cliff University’s Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) team has been named regional champions for the fifth consecutive year at the Minneapolis Regional SIFE Competition.  The SIFE team will compete at the National Finals in Chicago in May.

In Minneapolis, BCU’s SIFE students presented results from 18 community building projects including: a global panel discussion featuring top executives of major corporations; a research and consulting business for small entrepreneurs; a mystery shopping business and a middle school leadership summer camp. 

In addition, BCU’s SIFE team was named a national finalist in two additional categories:  Financial Literacy for a “Spend or Save” computer simulation and board game, and Business Ethics for the Ethics Apprentice Program, “Battle of the Schools.” Members who will compete at the National SIFE Competition in Chicago are Matt Gaul, co-president; Matt Pick, co-president; Nick Jones, Chris DeRoin, Amanda Cairney, Brent Miller, Derek Mechaelson, Regis Rassmussen, Brandon Osborn, Kendra O’Dell, Sara Heck, Roger Sandau, Andrew Douglas and Mallory Milburn.

“These students have dedicated over 3,700 hours to this program and delivered a spectacular performance that was declared, ‘The best in two years’ by one judge,” said Marilyn Eastman, assistant professor of business administration and SIFE faculty advisor.   “Our partnerships with local businesses and community organizations such as STEMM (Siouxland Tanzania Educational Medical Ministries), the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools and the Siouxland Foundation were keys to our success.”

SIFE is a non-profit organization that works with business and higher education to assist students in developing leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise.
Briar Cliff University is a Catholic institution with an enrollment of more than 1,100 students from 26 states, Bosnia, Canada, Ecuador and Pakistan.  Students are educated in the Franciscan tradition of excellence in the liberal arts and career preparation in an environment of care and compassion.