Ouachita Enactus team named regional champions, advances to national competition
April 26, 2018
- Katie SmithOuachita Baptist University’s Enactus team was named Regional Champion its annual
regional competition in Dallas, Texas. The team will move on to compete at the Enactus
National Exposition in Kansas City, Mo., May 20-22. The competition includes a detailed,
scripted presentation highlighting the various projects conducted by Ouachita’s Enactus
organization.
Seven teams from around the region competed against each other in seven leagues, and
the top four teams in each league move on as Regional Champions to compete in the
national competition.
“The faculty at Ouachita, especially in the Hickingbotham School of Business, support
Enactus wholeheartedly,” said Ouachita Enactus President Victoria White, a senior
accounting major from Powderly, Texas. “Our success at regional competition is a direct
result of their guidance and encouragement as we work to have one of the best student-led
organizations on campus.
“Bryan McKinney is our faculty advisor who has laid the foundational work for OBU
Enactus’ success,” she added. “Without his leadership and expertise, student leaders
like myself, our project leaders and our active members would not be able to impact
as many people through our projects.”
Enactus is a global entrepreneurship-focused program with a presence in 36 countries
on more than 1,700 college campuses. Enactus challenges students to use business to
help solve social issues locally and globally. Members create and run various programs
through university Enactus chapters and then present their work at regional and national
competitions. Winners of each national competition present at the Enactus World Cup
Competition. The next step for the Ouachita team is the Enactus U.S. National Exposition
May 20-22 in Kansas City.
“Our team wants to use entrepreneurial skills to make life better for others,” said
Bryan McKinney, dean of the Hickingbotham School of Business and faculty sponsor of
Enactus. “Enactus is a secular organization, with teams found literally across the
globe. Yet, the mission of Enactus globally is so similar to our mission as a faith-based
university. We, too, want to use the gifts God has given us in order to make life
better for others. That’s really our goal. We also want to compete well and represent
OBU with distinction!”
This year, Ouachita’s Enactus team presented several projects at the regional competition,
including Dr. Jack’s Coffee, Generation-U, Mission 58:10 and Bridges. Dr. Jack’s Coffee
is an initiative that sells coffee on and off campus to raise proceeds for an orphanage
and farmers in Honduras. Generation-U allows students to donate gently used dorm furniture
and supplies to local high school students attending college. Mission 58:10 works
to raise awareness of Arkadelphia’s high food insecurity rate and to provide food
for students in local schools. Bridges works with entrepreneurs who present a problem
or goal to a panel of students who help provide solutions.
Enactus is a program in Ouachita’s Hickingbotham School of Business, but students
of all majors are invited to become members.
“We had multiple students from various majors outside of the business school join
us for the regional competition,” McKinney explained. “Students learn to work on a
team. They do good for others. And they have an opportunity to network with other
very bright students and some of the best companies in the world.”
For more information, contact Bryan McKinney at [email protected] or (870) 245-5513.
By Katie Smith
April 26, 2018
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