Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) recently held a Young Entrepreneur’s Panel for Quinnipiac Students. The panel featured four Quinnipiac students who all own their own businesses.

SIFE is a national organization geared towards college students who are interested in a business career. Throughout the year, Quinnipiac’s SIFE organization sponsors many events that are held in order to spread free enterprise to the community and aid business students with their future careers.

At the panel, students discussed their own experiences with entrepreneurship and what made them want to begin their own business. The purpose of the panel was to show fellow students that it is possible to start a business even before graduating college.

Students from all majors in the university attended the event. After the panelists had given their presentations, there was a period where attendees could ask questions.

The organization’s mission statement is “to provide college students the best opportunity to make a difference and to develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of Free Enterprise.”

This mission is accomplished through many events, such as this, that are held throughout the year.

SIFE puts a large emphasis on the importance of community activities. This semester, they will be participating in a project along with the International Business Society, where they will be collecting textbooks on campus and sending them to the University of Ghana. They will also hold an event at which they will teach business ethics to students at Hamden High School.

The organization also has several ongoing events, according to Ericka Latimore, SIFE’s secretary.

They run a program called “EntrePrep” which prepares high school students for a career in business, particularly as entrepreneurs. High school seniors are paired with college students involved in the program who function as mentors and offer guidance in order to help the high school students decide in what aspect of business they would like to be involved.

SIFE also leads a Financial Education Workshop at the Boys and Girls Club in New Haven, during which they educate parents about personal investing, 401K’s, and other financial information.

Through their many events, SIFE functions not only as a means of reaching out into the community but as a way business students can better themselves and prepare themselves for a career in business.

Latimore, a sophomore Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management major, feels that SIFE has truly benefited her in this manner.

“[SIFE] has helped me develop my leadership skills,” she said. “It has also made me more outspoken.”

SIFE meetings are held the first and third Tuesdays of each month. For more information, contact Ericka.Latimore @quinnipiac.edu or the organization’s adviser, Ronald McMullen.