West Virginia Wesleyan’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team captured its sixth consecutive championship in the 2006 Regional SIFE competition in Cincinnati, OH on April 7.  The student-group, under the direction of Dr. Scott Bellamy, associate professor of economics, also earned a National Entrepreneurship Award for “Money Matters” project, which teaches fifth graders about entrepreneurship.

The 34-member team has completed 11 major projects during this academic year and dedicated more than 3,000 hours of community service.  Wesleyan will compete in the national competition, which will be held in Kansas City, MO, May 21-23.

There are more than 1,800 SIFE teams from over 50 countries.  Of more than 900 SIFE teams in the United States, only 500 earned the right to compete in regional competitions this year.  Wesleyan will be one of 120 teams who will compete at the national event.

“We are obviously thrilled to win another regional championship,” says Bellamy.   “While winning the title is a significant accomplishment, I am even more proud of the students’ dedication and commitment to service-learning.  They have taught many area children and high school about business and economics and they have raised a significant amount of money for local and global causes.  These students represent the very best of West Virginia Wesleyan and they are making valuable contributions to our society.”

The national SIFE champion will advance to the world SIFE competition in Paris, France on September 11-13, 2006.  For more information about Wesleyan’s SIFE organization, contact Dr. Bellamy at (304) 473-8477.

SIFE TEAM representatives at the Regional Competition:
Front row: Marc Hazey of Bridgeport, WV, Tyler Silva of San Jose, CA, Dr. Scott Bellamy (advisor), David Casdorph of Morgantown, WV, and Derek Lathey of Ripley, WV.
Back row: Taran Parsons of Ripley, Lauren Reiland of Canonsburg, PA, Emily Maditz of Fairmont, Alyce McGinnis of Burgettstown, PA, Cassie Humphreys of Franklin, WV, Briana Cicero (co-advisor), Jessica Paugh of Weston, WV, Leah Loubierre of Mineral Wells, WV, Heather Burdick of Fairmont, and Sarah Anderson of Irwin, PA.