Competing with 250 teams of college business students from across the county, Warner Pacific College’s Enactus Team were the first round Champions of the Western region and 5th overall (placing in the top 20) after three levels of competition during the Enactus USA Expo in Cincinnati, Ohio (March 31 – April 3).
Enactus is an international community of student, academic, and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world.
Teams were judged at three levels during the competition based on the content of their presentation, including delivery style, and the organization of the details from the projects presented. Presentations are designed to highlight community based activities that use business skills to create positive, local change.
The Warner Pacific Enactus Team’s presentation included:
- Hosting an afterschool program at Bridger Elementary in SE Portland. Students from Warner Pacific created age-appropriate, fun, and interactive curricula in music, art, and business to keep students engaged in the learning environment during after school care.
- Tabor Cycles solves the transportation challenge of Warner Pacific students. The Enactus club created a viable business plan to purchase and rent bikes to current Warner Pacific students. This enables students to experience all that Portland has to offer while getting some exercise and utilizing a sustainable resource that is eco-friendly. Still in its first months of implementation, the bike rental program is already receiving positive feedback.
- Honduras Service Project in December led to the creation of three new businesses opportunities for residents of La Ceiba. Warner Pacific students offered entrepreneurial training, lead children’s vacation-Bible-school style activities, and assisted in the development of viable business plans for a hair salon, convenience store, and dance studio.
- Offering financial literacy lessons on campus. The Club provides all students of the College with an understanding of student loans, debt, and budgeting.
The Warner Pacific Enactus Team members who represented the College at the Enactus USA Expo were: Daniel Ryan – Business Administration; Gimena Olguin – Social Entrepreneurship; Will Brauckmiller – Business Administration and Accounting; and Alexander Hayes – American Studies.
“It’s not just accumulating community service hours, these students are seeking out ways to use business skills to create positive social change,” says Dr. Roger Martin, Associate Professor of Business and the academic advisor for the Warner Pacific Enactus Club. About the Team’s appearance at Nationals, Dr. Martin had this to say, “I am very proud of them. The presentation was stylish, contained great quantitative data from the projects, and the team provided substantive answers to the judges’ questions.”
As the largest club at Warner Pacific College, Enactus is comprised of students studying not just Business, but also American Studies, Communication, and Biology, who want to make a difference for the community. Recently, the WPC Enactus Club was honored as the Warner Pacific Club of the Year, for the second year in a row.
“Warner Pacific students have embraced the opportunity to lead and serve in our neighborhood and in our community through their engagement in Enactus,” says Dr. Andrea Cook, President of the College. “These students have discovered the importance of using their skills and abilities to make a positive difference in the lives of those they serve. This commitment to seeing individuals and communities flourish is at the heart of the College’s mission, and will equip them to take their place in the workforce after college. I couldn’t be more impressed and proud of the service and success that the Warner Pacific Enactus team has achieved.”