Mount Mercy College SIFE Organization Teams with Local SCORE Chapter
CEDAR
RAPIDS, Iowa (December 6, 2007) – Mount Mercy College’s
Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team has agreed to collaborate
with SCORE “Counselor’s to America’s Small Business”
in a two-year partnership.
The venture
marks the first time a local chapter of SCORE has affiliated with
a college campus, which creates the potential to become a national
model for the Small Business Administration’s SCORE organization.
SCORE has more than 10,000 volunteers in 389 chapters nationwide.
During the
next two years, SCORE counselors will work alongside and mentor
Mount Mercy SIFE members to provide students with a more thorough
understanding of small business operations. In return the Mount
Mercy SIFE team will conduct local market research, and create
and help implement a comprehensive marketing, communications and
public relations plan for the local SCORE chapter.
SIFE, the
largest student organization in the world, provides students the
opportunity to make a difference by developing leadership skills
through learning, practicing, and teaching the principles of the
free enterprise system. During the 2006-07 school year the Mount
Mercy SIFE team completed 47projects, volunteered more than 2,050
hours and taught more than 6,719 people free enterprise principles
and the skills necessary to be successful in the global marketplace.
They worked with several elementary, middle and high schools,
children of all age groups, seniors, and community organizations
in Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities.
From its inception,
SCORE’s mission has focused on the American dream of small
business ownership. Score’s unique service is based upon
the idea of giving back to the community. Business men and women
with successful careers and entrepreneurial ventures join SCORE
to volunteer their time and expertise to help new businesses start
and existing businesses grow and succeed.
Jean Kruse,
a retired executive from McGladrey & Pullen and former business
owner, was recently elected chair for SCORE in Cedar Rapids. “We
see this as a valuable partnership. SIFE is made up of students
who are highly motivated and are potentially the local area business
owners of tomorrow,” says Kruse. “SCORE members will
be able to provide SIFE members with valuable knowledge and insight
about small business, and SIFE will be instrumental in raising
local awareness of SCORE. It’s a win-win situation.”
Located
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Mount Mercy College is a Catholic College
providing student-focused baccalaureate education in the spirit
of the Sisters of Mercy. For directions to Mount Mercy College,
please visit www.mtmercy.edu.
Contacts:
Stacey Jones, Assistant Director of Marketing
(319) 368-6475, sjones@mtmercy.edu
Molly Altorfer, Director of Communications and Marketing
(319) 368-6475, maltorfer@mtmercy.edu
