Brigham Young University-Hawaii Wins Enactus United States National Championship

Will Represent U.S. at World Cup Competition

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May 08, 2019, 09:44 ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The student team from Brigham Young University-Hawaii (Laie, Hawaii) earned $10,000 and was named 2019 Enactus United States National Champion Tuesday night at the Enactus United States National Exposition, presented by Hallmark Cards, Inc., at the Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, MO. www.enactusunitedstates.org

Enactus President and CEO Rachael Jarosh and Enactus US Acting President Chris Mills (back/right) celebrate with the team from Brigham Young University-Hawaii that was named the 2019 Enactus United States National Champion May 7 at the Enactus United States National Exposition, presented by Hallmark Cards, Inc., at the Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, MO. In addition to the title, the team was awarded $10,000 in prize money.

Dave Hall, President, Hallmark Cards, Inc. met with college students attending the Career Fair at the 2019 Enactus United States National Exposition in Kansas City. In addition to presenting their entrepreneurial action projects at the national competition, students had the opportunity to meet and interview with dozens of companies including Hallmark Cards, Inc., Robert Half International, BIC Corporation, The Coca-Cola Company, Post Consumer Brands, KPMG LLP, Unilever and more.

Hundreds of senior executives from America's most well-known companies, including Hallmark Cards, Inc., BIC Corporation, The Coca-Cola Company, Post Consumer Brands, KPMG LLP and Unilever, networked with over 1,000 students and judged the entrepreneurial projects created and implemented by Enactus teams from 87 colleges and universities from around the nation.

Among Brigham Young University-Hawaii's projects, RiceUp bridges the economic gap between Filipino farmers and their markets. The project utilizes innovative technology to simplify food supply logistics, equips farmers with enhanced skills through education, and develops sustainable community models through agri-preneurship. 30 RiceUp Farm Schools have been established with more than 300 farmers graduated this year. Economic outcomes in the active locations have improved, with 2100 people lifted above the poverty line and 260 jobs created.

The champion team will represent Enactus United States competing with 36 other countries at the 2019 Enactus World Cup September 16 - 18 in San Jose, California.

"On behalf of Hallmark, I congratulate everyone who participated in this year's Enactus competition," says Dave Hall, President, Hallmark Cards, Inc. "All of this year's students should be proud of what they have accomplished and feel good knowing that their desire to change lives and to make measurable, meaningful and lasting contributions will have a significant impact on the world's sustainability, and we think that's remarkable."

Competition began on May 6, with teams delivering live, multi-media presentations describing their projects to panels of senior business leaders, specifically on how the team created sustainable impact economically, socially or environmentally by using entrepreneurial action. In addition, students interviewed for jobs and internships at the Career Fair where recruiters vied to attract this exceptional talent.

"These Enactus teams demonstrated how they are positively impacting our world," says Chris Mills, acting president, Enactus United States. "Our time in Kansas City has given academic, business and student leaders the chance to connect, share perspectives and drive innovation. The Expo provides students the ultimate opportunity to hone their skills while employers from around the country have a chance to scout for the best and brightest talent. The Enactus experience is building an engaged generation of leaders who have a head for business and a heart for the world."

The other teams placing in the top four were:

2nd:    Utah Valley University, Orem, UT
3rd:    LaSierra University, Riverside, CA
4th:     University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO

"The experience at Expo would not have been possible without the generous support and commitment from Hallmark Cards and dozens of other corporate partners," Mills adds. "We are excited to head toward Enactus World Cup September 16-18 and to return to Kansas City in 2020."

About Enactus
At Enactus, we believe investing in students who take entrepreneurial action for others creates a better world for us all. Founded in 1975, Enactus develops college students into leaders who use business to solve community challenges, creating sustainable improvements in the lives of the people their projects serve, and in turn, the lives of the students themselves. As the largest experiential learning platform devoted to entrepreneurial action, Enactus has more than 72,000 student participants on 1,730 campuses in 37 countries. In 2017, Enactus students dedicated approximately 7.3 million hours, creating and implementing over 3,800 projects that directly impacted more than 1.3 million lives. For more information: www.enactusunitedstates.org.

Contact: Julie Carver, Enactus, Cell: 612-597-0934, [email protected]

SOURCE Enactus