By Kathryn Flippin
Staff Writer
The international organization Students in Free Enterprise announced its name change to Enactus Oct. 2.
Union’s Enactus chapter (formerly known as SIFE) was established in 1993. Since then, Enactus has strived to teach students free enterprise and entrepreneurship through various business projects throughout each academic year.
Over time, Enactus has grown to include more than just students and local projects, said Brooke Emery, assistant professor of marketing and Enactus adviser.
“On a national level, SIFE was hard to explain,” Emery said. “‘Students in Free Enterprise’ really didn’t explain what we did (anymore). Enactus — which comes from ‘entrepreneurship,’ ‘action’ and ‘us’ — really opens the discussion for what the group actually does. Our mission is to encourage entrepreneurship and free enterprise as we work together with our university, sponsor businesses and those needing our help.”
Emery’s statement reiterates Enactus’s belief that the organization has grown to include more than just a national focus on students. It has branched out globally, with a diverse population of 57,000 students on 1,600 campuses and business and community leaders from 39 countries.
With this global change, Enactus hopes to show a renewed commitment to entrepreneurial action and a renewed commitment to enabling progress around the world with not only students but also businesses and communities.
“Change is always hard, but the name change was necessary for Enactus to become a true global organization,” Emery said. “We discuss branding in global marketing, and this change is truly textbook.”
For Union, the change means a commitment to revamp old projects and get students thinking globally, said Sarah Hill, senior marketing major and Enactus president.
“I think this is a good change that will create a more globally-aware vision for the brand,” Hill said. “I am excited to get to implement the name change because I think it will help the organization to move into the ever-expanding world and be more recognizable.”
While Union’s Enactus chapter engages in projects with immediate global effect, members look to target a sustainable project with global significance. Right now, they are working toward developing a business opportunity that could help with ending human trafficking.
“We are hoping to create a project that reiterates Enactus’s mission ‘to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world,” Hill said. “With this name change, we think it will really push us to make this happen.”
