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November 17, 2011

City Officials Gather at Roberts To Discuss SIFE's 14621 Project

Event is Part of ‘The 14621 Project’ Initiated by College’s SIFE Business Students to Assist Community

 

ROCHESTER, N.Y. Rochester community leaders and Roberts business students, engaged in a growing revitalization-minded partnership, will participate in a panel discussion Dec. 1 to investigate ways to transform a commitment by the students to help spur economic development in Rochester’s 14621 Zip Code neighborhoods into action.

Scheduled to appear on the panel with members of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) are Daisy Rivera-Algarin, senior marketing specialist for the City of Rochester; Marisol Lopez, director of the city’s Neighborhood Service Center Northeast; Bob Fien, CEO Stone Construction; and others.  The event kicks off at 12:15 p.m. on campus in the Merlin G. Smith Science Center Auditorium.

The 14621 Project, initiated last year by SIFE, already has engaged in several community projects, including the Women of Hope / Women of Courage programs for young women, assistance to Keenan’s Restaurant, a food drive to benefit the IBERO Food Pantry, and other projects.  SIFE “adopted” the zip code as part of its commitment to improve the welfare of people in need.  Students committed themselves to serving the residents of the 14621 neighborhoods for six years.

“Service to others is an integral part of a Roberts education and The 14621 Project, developed and initiated by our SIFE students, is a very practical and measureable service initiative,” said Dr. Marcia O’Brien, the lead professor of the College’s Management & Social Entrepreneurship major.  “It serves a dual purpose of making a positive impact on the community and giving our students a glimpse of what hope and courage looks like when a neighborhood is being given new life through economic initiatives.”

The SIFE team has been working to inspire entrepreneurs, struggling business owners, low-income families, and disadvantaged children experience success.  This panel discussion will give a clearer idea of what the obstacles are and what goals are realistically within reach.  City officials already have engaged business owners and other organizations, such as Rochester General Hospital, to collaborate on revitalization efforts.

The broad goals of The 14621 Program are to empower low-income individuals through financial literacy programs, feed the poor, encourage environmentally sustainable business practices, and educate at-risk students on the benefits of staying in school.  SIFE works with community leaders to help maintain and improve current businesses, reduce the crime and poverty rates, and encourage members of the community to become more self-sufficient.

 

About SIFE:

SIFE is a non-profit organization that gives students the tools to learn the free enterprise system in real working situations.  SIFE challenges students on more than 900 college campuses nationwide to take what they're learning in the classroom and use that knowledge to better their communities.  The SIFE program concentrates on five areas:  entrepreneurship, market economics, success skills, financial literacy, and business ethics.  For more information, visit:  www.sife.org.  For information about the local Roberts chapter, visit:  http://www.roberts.edu/SIFE/.

 

About Roberts Wesleyan College

With an enrollment of nearly 2,000 students and a tradition of excellence since 1866, Roberts Wesleyan College is a leader among liberal arts colleges with a Christian worldview.  The College offers more than 50 undergraduate programs, as well as graduate programs in education, school psychology, school counseling, health administration, health information administration, nursing education, nursing leadership and administration, social work, music education, strategic marketing, and strategic leadership.  Roberts Wesleyan also offers innovative undergraduate degree-completion programs for working adults in health administration, nursing, organizational management, and teacher education. 


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