Students in Free Enterprise Teams Place Second and Third at ACE Regional Exposition

(March 28, 2011 " Thunder Bay, ON) Lakehead University Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) won second place in the TD SIFE Entrepreneurship Challenge and third place in the SIFE Financial Education Challenge at the 2011 Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) Regional Exposition.

SIFE teams from nineteen universities across Central Canada gathered in Toronto to compete in a two-day exposition from March 17-18, 2011, that included three topic-based challenges, guest speakers, and career networking events.


The 2011 ACE Regional Expo presenting teams from L-R: Luke Gharghoury, Allison O'Shea, Madora Day, Jen Piercey, Mallory Atchison, Chelsea Dorval, and Craig Apostle

Madora Day, a member of the TD SIFE Entrepreneurship Challenge team, was enthusiastic about Lakehead's results, "Our SIFE group came in as the underdog with only 25 members and 3 years in operation compared to some teams that have over 100 members and many more years of experience. But we proved to be serious competitors, coming in second to Ryerson University " last year's national champion!"

Teams presented their project results before a judging panel composed of ACE national sponsors, including KPMG, TD, and Canadian Tire, SIFE Alumni, and industry leaders. Judges evaluated teams based on the economic, social, and environmental impacts that projects had in home communities. The second and third place finishes for SIFE Lakehead came with plaques, and $500 in prize money from the TD SIFE Entrepreneurship Challenge that will be reinvested in the SIFE Lakehead team.

The Lakehead SIFE team regional placing is much improved from last year and the team is motivated to continue their work in Northwestern Ontario hoping to improve its placing at the ACE National Exposition in May 2011.

"We brought 12 SIFE Lakehead members down this year to show them how incredible the southern Ontario teams are with their large-scale projects and impressive reputations. It's nice for our newer members to see that what our team does in the community, coupled with what other teams do, allows SIFE to make an impact across the world," says Jennifer Piercey, member of the SIFE Financial Education Challenge team.

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Media: For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Madora Day, VP Public Relations, SIFE Lakehead, at 807-476-5554 or mjday@lakeheadu.ca, or contact Janine Chiasson, Communications Officer, at 807-343-8177 or commun@lakeheadu.ca.

About Lakehead
Lakehead is a comprehensive university with a reputation for innovative programs and cutting-edge research. With a main campus located in Thunder Bay, Ontario and a campus in Orillia, Ontario, Lakehead has over 8,280 students and 2,250 faculty and staff, and is home to the west campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. In 2006, Research Infosource Inc. named Lakehead University Canada's Research University of the Year in the undergraduate category. For more information on Lakehead University, visit www.lakeheadu.ca