College of Business students recognized for socially responsible business practices
Janel Shoun |
The Lipscomb University College of Business Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team recently earned the “Rookie of the Year Award” at the Minneapolis, Minn., SIFE national championship.
Lipscomb’s SIFE team is one of only two rookie teams across the nation to win its regional championship in April and proceed to the national competition, where Lipscomb was then chosen as the national rookie of the year.
SIFE is a business student organization, which mobilizes students to make a difference in their communities while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders. Participating students apply business concepts to develop outreach projects to improve quality of life and standard of living for people in need.
Lipscomb’s 40 SIFE participants completed more than 900 service hours over the course of three months, serving refugees, at-risk youth, recovering mothers and disadvantaged families among others.
“The Lipscomb College of Business is excited this program has become such a strong part of our overall efforts to produce well-rounded, socially responsible businesspeople,” said Turney Stevens, dean of the College of Business. “The program creates additional leadership and career opportunities that refine and enhance the emerging talent of students graduating from our business programs.”
VITA Program
Another College of Business program promoting socially responsible business methods is the accounting department’s annual VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program, offered through an annual partnership with United Way of Nashville and the Internal Revenue Service. In 2010 the students worked at the Woodbine Community Center during the tax filing season, preparing tax returns for low-income families and the elderly.
“This year was by far our most successful partnership with a national community organization, a community center, and the IRS,” said Charles Frasier, professor and chair of accounting at Lipscomb. “Each of nine students worked around 100 hours in service to approximately 1,300 families.
“Our students became very dedicated to the management team at Woodbine and to the families seeking help. On many occasions the meetings with families led to very personal discussions and provided a wonderful experience to our accounting majors in the areas of communication, psychology, giving back to society, application of technical tax knowledge and working as a team,” Frasier said.
“The students are a godsend and their commitment, enthusiasm and knowledge have significantly enriched our services this season,” Tony Woodham, deputy executive director of the Woodbine Community Organization told Lipscomb officials. “Thanks to their support we have been able to expand our hours and can proudly say no clients have been turned away this season for lack of volunteer support. This is our proudest achievement and a first in our seven years of offering the VITA program.”