The School of Business’s Enactus team traveled to Dallas today to compete in the Enactus United States Regional Competitions on Wednesday.
Universities and colleges in the United States that have Enactus programs on campus are invited to send a team from their chapter to one of 10 regional competitions held in various cities nationwide.
Other host cities include Charlotte, N.C.; Baltimore, Md.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Atlanta, Ga.; New York, N.Y.; Orange County, Calif.; Chicago, Ill.; Rogers, Ark.; and Seattle, Wash.
“We chose to go to Dallas because it was the most convenient with our timing,” said Sarah Hill, senior marketing major and Enactus president. “[It was] a week after spring break and is relatively close to Union.”
At regionals, teams showcase their community projects, presenting them to judges who are alumni and business leaders from various schools and organizations.
Judges rank the projects on how successfully they incorporate business concepts.
“[The students] will be competing with numerous projects,” said Brooke Emery, assistant professor of marketing and Enactus adviser. “Each of these projects are focused on our unique market.”
Union sent nearly 20 students as part of the presentation team to present its projects at regionals in Dallas and to compete against other Enactus teams.
The team presented “World at Play,” “Day by Day,” “MISSION,” “Cyber (re)Cycling,” “Student Care Packages” and “Financial Empowerment Workshops,” all of which have been completed throughout this school year.
Each of the organization’s projects focus on various segments of the community.
With “World at Play,” team members taught business skills to students in sixth grade from select Jackson schools by having them design a toy that is environmentally sustainable.
“Day by Day” focused on serving those who have suffered traumatic brain injuries in West Tennessee through partnering with an organization and providing assistance with building its website.
With the project “MISSION,” Enactus partnered with a local person to sell products to hunters, and 70 percent of the proceeds benefit the Justice and Mercy International organization.
The most recently created project, “Cyber (re)Cycling,” consisted of donating desktop computers that have been reprogrammed to those who need a computer.
The project took place on campus this year, and 11 Union students in need of a computer received one.
Another project that focuses on students is Enactus’ “Student Care Packages” project, which sells care packages that parents and friends of students at Union can buy to encourage students during finals week.
