Larry Becker
Executive Director, University Relations
La Sierra University
Riverside, California
909-785-2460 voice
909-334-7175 cell
lbecker@lasierra.edu

La Sierra University's SIFE team has once again successfully made its way through the Los Angeles Regional Finals competition, and is one of five four-year colleges/universities participating in that regional to move on to the National Finals in Kansas City in May. SIFE team members competed against teams representing 30 schools from California, Arizona, New Mexico, and even one team from as far away as Nebraska.

The event took place at the Sheraton Universal Hotel last April 4. Heather Miller, La Sierra's SIFE Faculty Fellow, reports that California State University-Hayward, the University of Arizona-Tucson, Fresno Pacific University, and Biola University are the other four-year schools that will be joining La Sierra University at the national finals from the Los Angeles region. Each team was named a Regional Champion, and received a trophy and $1500 cash award.

In Kansas City, La Sierra students will be defending their National Title against 138 4-year colleges and universities from 22 regional competitions taking place across the United States. The three-day event will take place May 11-13.

A quick look at SIFE statistics for the current year shows students completed:

• 23 projects
• 23 SIFE members, with 63 participants through the year
• 2713 hours of service
• 6298 people reached
• more than 6 million media reach
• more than 22 million media gross impressions

During the Los Angeles competition, La Sierra’s SIFE team was also named one of 15 national finalists in two special competitions that were held during the year. The first was National Financial Independence Month (November), for which the team created and implemented its Personal Financial Independence project. The second was National Entrepreneurship Month (February), for which the team created and implemented its Sky High project. Each of these awards came with a trophy and $500.

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