USA’s La Sierra University Named SIFE World Cup 2002 Champion
Economic Education Outreach Projects Score High Marks

Date: September 24, 2002
Contact: Karin Schilt, w: (909) 785-2016
E-mail: pr@lasierra.edu
For Immediate Release


Additional Photos available here >

RIVERSIDE - La Sierra University’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team was declared the winner from among the final four teams (others were Russia, South Africa and Ghana) over a live web-cast (available until October 8 at www.sife.org). La Sierra’s team traveled to Amsterdam recently for the SIFE World Championship, 22-24 September 2002, after winning the U.S. Championship in Kansas City on May 14, 2002.

Lawrence T. Geraty, president of La Sierra University, commented, “La Sierra’s School of Business & Management has a distinguished track record of “rising to the top” when it comes to entrepreneurship, service, and the Christian practice of business. With this big win in Amsterdam, its reputation now circles the globe. We are so proud of the opportunities provided by a quality Adventist education and this highly successful group of students who have taken advantage of it!”

The World Cup championship involved National Champion SIFE teams from 23 countries. Each team gave a 24-minute, multi-media presentation detailing their educational outreach projects. They were judged on how well they taught others about economic principles and socially responsible enterprise.

La Sierra University’s SIFE team is based in the School of Business and Management led by Dean Johnny Thomas. As the Sam Walton Fellow of SIFE, Miller has led the team in creating and implementing a number of ambitious educational projects. Among these is the local educational project Summer SLAM Day Camp, a news-themed summer day camp teaching children communication and business skills. Another local project is the Welfare-to-Work Childcare Capacity-Building Business Course, developed in partnership with the Family Services Association of Western Riverside County to teach former welfare-dependant individuals how to become home child care providers.

La Sierra University’s SIFE team also strives to make a global impact and has traveled to India, Mexico, and Peru for several projects. Projects in Peru established this year included Operation Sting, in which school-aged children are instructed in operating a honey bee business, as well as the Women’s Micro-Lending project, which provided small loans and one-on-one business consulting to women entrepreneurs in Cuzco, Peru.

“The SIFE World Cup gives students a true international forum to understand and learn how the free market system works in a global context,” said Felipe Vielmann, graduate student at La Sierra University. “It enables us to demonstrate our efforts and share information on a world stage.”

For more information, contact Heather Miller (returns from Amsterdam 9/27) at (909) 785-2225 or SIFE World Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, USA, via email at sifehq@sife.org, via phone at 1-800-677-SIFE, or visit www.SIFE.org.

# # #

Additional Photos available here.

. . . . . . . . . . .