The Southwestern College Enactus team was crowned regional champions in Dallas April 10, and has earned the opportunity to compete at the 2017 Enactus United States National Exposition in Kansas City May 21-23.

This is the third time in three years the SC Enactus team has reached the national competition, a perfect record since formation of the team in 2015. This year the Moundbuilders were competing against the University of Texas at Austin, John Brown University, Oklahoma State University, North Lake College, Wayland Baptist University, and Xavier University.

According to team advisor Patrick Lee, the competition consisted of a 17-minute presentation to business executives from partner companies, with the presentation highlighting projects completed throughout the year. Judging criteria called for the winner to be the Enactus team that “most effectively used entrepreneurial action to empower people to improve their livelihoods in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable way." 

The Southwestern team’s major project during the year was management of the campus’s Moundbuilder Market.

SC presenters were Meagan Brady, Bixby, Okla.; Christian Gordon, Yukon, Okla.; Elizabeth Jewett, Wichita; Jacob Sigmon, Sand Springs, Okla.; Jennifer Myers, Woodward, Okla.; and Shirley Jones, Balch Springs, Texas.

Other team members attending were Uly Cisneros, Rowlett, Texas; Raul Martinez, Houston; Dylan Tillotson, Flower Mound, Texas; James Gurzynski, Walker, La.; Kyle Robinson, Austin, Texas; Kailee Turner, Schertz, Texas; Elizabeth Walz, Atchison; and Casey Cargill, Stafford.    

“As faculty advisors, we’re very proud of the hard work our Enactus students put in each and every day and being named regional champion continues our tradition of academic and business excellence in a team that attracts attention at national exposition every year,” Lee says.  

At the National Exposition SC will compete against the nation's top 100 teams for the title of Enactus USA National Champion and the opportunity to participate in the Enactus World Cup in London in September.

 “This year's team is made up of a young group of Southwestern Enactus students and to see them carry the tradition of academic and business excellence is a great sight to see,” Lee says.  “Last year we graduated nine seniors, which represented half of our team. This year we have 18 students and only two are graduating while 15 of them are sophomores or younger.”

Enactus faculty advisors who accompanied the team to Dallas were Kristen Pettey, Jayna Bertholf, James McEwen, and Patrick Lee. The graduate assistant in charge of the presenting team was Michelle VanGieson.

In addition to the regional and national competition, Enactus events allow SC students the opportunity to network with companies through the career fair held at each event. In Dallas, companies such as AVIS Budget Group, Edward Jones, Fidelity Investments, Robert Half, Target, The Home Depot, Schwan Food Company, and Sam's Club were recruiting students for internship and career opportunities.