Gov. Sonny Perdue Meets with EC SIFE Students

Emmanuel College’s SIFE students recently traveled to the State Capitol Building in Atlanta to meet with Gov. Sonny Perdue to discuss issues concerning them as young entrepreneurs. Those students were Heber Lopez, Gabe Lopez, Fabiola Pino, Opal Williams, Tameka Redd, Bettina Israel and John Leviner.

According to Dr. Ed Weldon, EC SIFE Advisor along on the trip, the visit had two purposes.

“First, it was to alert the governor and his staff, as well as our legislators, to the nature of SIFE as a major world-wide service organization,” Weldon says. “We relayed SIFE’s importance as it relates to the free enterprise thrust of his administration and to Georgians and economic growth.”

The second purpose was to report the concern of private institutions such as Emmanuel in participating in the State of Georgia PEER counseling program regarding personal finance.

In addition to Gov. Perdue, students met with EC alumnus Mike Gravley (’97), a lobbyist for the Trial Lawyers Association of Georgia. “He opened the doors of opportunity for the SIFE team,” says Weldon, who taught in some Gravley’s business courses. “He was able to give our team the background about the legislative team.”

EC's chapter of SIFE boasts an outstanding record. Their success began in 1996 when they won National Rookie Team of the Year at the national competition, where they dined at the table of the CEO of Wal–Mart. That same year they won Regional Rookie of the Year and Regional Champion of the Year.

Since then, they have not let up: 1997 Regional Champion of the Year and National Semi-Finals Champion; 1997 Success 2000 Winner; 1999 Success 2000 Winner and Regional Champions; 2001 Regional 2^nd Runner Up; 2002 Regional 1^st Runner Up; 2003 Regional 1^st Runner Up; 2005 Regional 2^nd Runner Up; 2006 Regional Champions; 2007 Regional Champions; 2008 Regional 2^nd Runner Up; and 2008 Ethics Competition Finalist.

Students visiting this year with Gov. Perdue benefited in several ways. “They saw, learned and gained first hand ideas of the workings of our state government serving its citizens, as well as they had a front row seat in the work of the legislature while in session,” says Weldon. “They also gained an understanding of the importance of each citizen participating in the legislative process, even while not being physically present.”

As Weldon says, the average college students know little about saving, investments, student loan details, credit reports, credit, and debit, as well as protection against identity theft.

SIFE, a non-partisan organization, strives 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. For more about SIFE, please visit www.sife.org.

“SIFE is a major world-wide service organization. It’s on the collegiate level in 44 countries and shares knowledge with the world about the benefits of free enterprise,” Weldon says. “SIFE prefers to work with other student groups on campus to accomplish cohesion among students about the importance of working together.” 

Written by Communication Sophomore Lauren Peeples