BHSU student entrepreneurs and innovators compete in national competition

The Black Hills State University Enactus Team competed in the business student organization’s national competition in May, following their winning performance at the regional competition.

Enactus is a worldwide student organization that seeks to create a better, more sustainable world through projects that develop the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders and social innovators. Over 72,000 students are involved in Enactus teams around the globe on 1,730 campuses in 36 countries.

The BHSU team's presentation at the national competition featured two ongoing projects, Facebook for Retirees and BeeSweet Honey (an international project based in Zambia), and two new projects, Lakota Youth Development and Northern Hills Sources of Support.

Dr. Barbara Looney, assistant professor of management and team co-advisor, said the BHSU students shared their Enactus yearly results during a memorized presentation before corporate judges.

“Competing against top-tier universities, like UC-Berkeley at the regional competition, gave the students a sense of how they can engage at a high level, and win,” said Looney. “I was proud for how our students embraced the challenge and presented themselves with poise and polish. Experiences such as this offer glimpses of other arenas to which our students might aspire.”

Looney said the Enactus competition provided students an impressive opportunity for professional development and exposure to a high-level business campus. The San Bruno regional exposition was held in the Wal-Mart e-commerce corporate headquarters, which students and faculty alike were eager to explore.

BHSU Enactus Team Members include:

Sierra LaCroix, mass communication and business education major from Newcastle, Wyo.

Kyle Schluttner, business administration-management major from Tea

Katelyn Woten, professional accountancy major from Potter, Neb.

Jason Schneider, business administration-marketing major from Sturgis

Savannah Franklin, business administration-entrepreneurial studies major from Sandstone, Minn.

Brittney Muske, business administration-management major from LaMoure, N.D.

Allison Geier, graphic design communications and business administration major from Roscoe

Lynlee Jensen, corporate communication major from Spearfish

Sarah Rohrbach, business administration-entrepreneurial studies major from Aberdeen

Bianca Hutzler, business administration-marketing major from Germany

Alan Li, business administration-accounting and management major from Spearfish

Dr. David Crawford, professor of accounting at BHSU (co-advisor)

Dr. Barbara Looney, assistant professor of management (co-advisor) 

About the BHSU School of Business:

The Black Hills State University School of Business is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB-accreditation means BHSU is in the top 5 percent of business schools worldwide. BHSU offers business courses in Spearfish and Rapid City. Programs include MBA in Applied Management and bachelor’s degrees in Professional Accountancy and Business Administration with emphasis in accounting, economics and finance, entrepreneurial studies, human resource management, management, marketing, and tourism and hospitality management. Learn more at www.BHSU.edu/business