Are you the type of person who loves to find creative solutions to problems? Do you love helping others? If you answered yes to both of these questions then Enactus may be the organization for you to check out.
Enactus, originally known as Students in Free Enterprise, is an international non-profit organization that engages college students worldwide. The international organization believes that innovative ideas are critical to solving the problems our world faces. Their focus is on mobilizing university students to create economic opportunity for others while discovering their own strengths. At Oregon State University, Enactus is a College of Business organization; therefore, students can apply skills they have learned from the classroom in economics, finance, and general business to real life business situations. The organization has participated in community outreach programs at OSU and around the world since it’s founding in 2004. Backed by the Austin Entrepreneurship Program, the organization has grown considerably.
In the past, the organization has visited Nicaragua, Uganda, and various other countries to build houses, trash receptacles, and other useful community structures. They worked with Suenos de la Tierra to foster micro-lending and business development in Central America, STAR Sports to create athletic opportunities for children with disabilities, Fighting Hunger in the Homeland to fight food insecurity, and Community Connections to foster small businesses in rural Oregon. They have participated in national competitions where students in Enactus organizations showcase their projects for rewards of all kinds. Their sponsors include Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Coca-Cola, to name a few. They have even won a few awards, including first place for the Campbell Hunger Initiative in 2009-2010 and being a top 20 school overall for the United States in Enactus’ annual national competition for 2011-2013. They were even featured in the 2010 edition of Fortune Magazine.
If you want to be a part of this amazing organization they have quite a lot of projects going on this year. They are hoping to create change at home and abroad. First, they are working alongside Terrewode, an organization in Uganda that specializes in helping fight against obstetric fistula in the Ugandan region by providing a holistic approach to helping women who suffer from the disorder. They work to find the affected women, provide treatment, reintegrate them back into society, and ultimately give them a second chance. Secondly, they hope to help provide educational opportunities for underserved school districts in the Benton County area. They are partnering with United Way to implement programs incorporating STEM, experiential learning, and business practices to help high schoolers succeed after graduation. They have stated that, “[u]ltimately, our goal as an organization is to raise up the next generation of leaders who are equipped with the skills needed to create significant and impactful change for the betterment of society,” and by giving students valuable leadership and project management experience they are helping to create the leaders of tomorrow.
If you’d like to get involved with Enactus check out the links below for more information:
COB Organization profile: http://business.oregonstate.edu/main/current-students/student-organizations/enactus
Website: http://osuenactus.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/osuenactus/timeline
Email: enactus@oregonstate.edu
“Alone we can do so little; Together we can do so much.”
—Helen Keller