Formerly know as SIFE, Enactus is an international non-profit organization that brings together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, the student leaders of Enactus create and implement community empowerment projects around the globe. The experience not only transforms lives, it helps students develop the kind of talent and perspective that are essential to leadership in an ever-more complicated and challenging world.
Enactus teams present the results of their community projects annually at national and international competitions. Business executives judge the competitions and select the winners based on which teams they believe had the most impact.
Enactus stands for:
- Entrepreneurial—having the perspective to see an opportunity and the talent to create value from that opportunity;
- Action—the willingness to do something and the commitment to see it through even when the outcome is not guaranteed;
- Us—a group of people who see themselves connected in some important way; individuals that are part of a greater whole.
Enactus Competitions
Enactus Competitions determine which team ultimately had the most impact, improving the quality of life and standard of living for members of its community through innovative projects and team initiatives.
The competitive format consists of a written annual report and a live audio-visual presentation. Entrepreneurs and executives serve on the panel of judges for the competition.
Enactus at SAU
Magnolia Specialized Services: SAU Enactus established a partnership with Magnolia Specialized Services in 2018 to sell their handmade ceramics in SAU Beyond the Campus, the school’s retail store on the Magnolia Square. The clients at MSS create beautiful handmade ceramic pieces in their art classes, and SAU Enactus purchases them and sells them in the store. This enables MSS clients to get their products to market, and it provides Enactus students with valuable real-world experience managing a product line. Enactus members are in charge of inventory procurement, pricing decisions, and designing and implementing marketing campaigns.
SAU students involved with Enactus focus on many different projects to help the community. Past projects include:
- Students Acquiring Knowledge through Entrepreneurship (SAKE): This project teaches principles of economics and free enterprise to elementary students. During their full day on our campus, attendees develop an understanding of ethical terms, discover the importance of financial responsibility, cultivate entrepreneurship by developing and marketing products, and realize the significance of a post-secondary education.
- We Heart Magnolia: “Heart” has become a signature project for Enactus SAU. Heart is a project about caring for the community. A few years ago our Enactus team partnered with Living Water, a local women’s shelter. Based in an abandoned retirement home, Living Water is a refuge for abused women. Two years ago our Enactus team went in and did a massive renovation to make this building more comfortable for these women who want nothing more than to get back on their feet. Bedrooms were decorated and an entire wing was cleaned and painted. The team worked tirelessly until the project was up to our high standards of improvement. However, even after all of the work that was done there is still so much more to do. These women deal with leaks and a building that is vastly plain and without color or beauty. The smallest improvements brighten the outlook of those women staying at living water, and that makes the work worthwhile.
If you are interested in working to improve the quality of life in our community through entrepreneurial solutions, get involved with Enactus. For more information, contact Enactus Advisor Stephen Juma at sojuma@saumag.edu.
