Anderson University is looking ahead to a full slate of classes offered this summer for interested students. AU will offer four, 4-week sessions that provide flexibility and variety. Sessions provide both introductory and advanced courses on campus for specific majors and enrichment purposes. Classes began May 12.

“Service and selflessness” was the message of the 90th commencement ceremony at Anderson University.

Thousands of people still hustled to find their seats in Ward Fieldhouse as the color guard presented the flags to begin the ceremony.

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Friends and family members of all ages, dressed in all kinds of attire, sat among each other for the joyous day—to celebrate the graduation of the university’s class of 2008.

AU announced the addition of several new majors with the release of the 2008-2010 Academic Catalog, including the addition of a Global Business major, an Entrepreneurship major and a Youth Ministry major. Other changes include the restructuring of the Department of Communication Arts and the option for dual licensing through the English as a New Language (ENL) program.

Anderson University recently announced that James T. Morris, Special Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer and President for Pacers Sports and Entertainment and former Executive Director for the United Nations World Food Programme, will address the graduating class of 2008 during commencement exercises, May 10. The 3 p.m. EDT program will be conducted in the Ward Fieldhouse of the Kardatzke Wellness Center. Speaking during Anderson University’s baccalaureate service will be Rev. Kimberly Majeski, campus pastor at Anderson University. Baccalaureate will take place earlier that day in Reardon Auditorium at 10 a.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Falls School of Business Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) won the regional championship in Cincinnati on Friday, March 28th. The team also received top awards for the individual competitions of Business Ethics, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability by ranking in the top 20 in each topic.

This year’s competition marked the best results in Anderson University SIFE history. In previous years, the teams have won two individual topics. This year, the team added Entrepreneurship to their tally.

The team has worked extremely hard over the past five months to create their presentation of SIFE:Full Throttle. “Other SIFE teams pack out our room at regionals to see what we have been up to over the past year,” explains Stacey Jaracz, president of SIFE. “They view us as a model of how they should run their teams. We’re proud of that.”

Ben Hayhurst, vice-president of SIFE Consulting explains, “My favorite part was when our team presented, and there was standing room only in our presentation room. Students from many other SIFE teams crowded into our presentation room to watch our presentation and learn about our projects. I saw jaws drop and eyes open wide as our team presented our work for the past year. In short, those people were there to watch Anderson University because of the great work our SIFE students do.”

The students in SIFE do much more than compete, however. Throughout the year SIFE gives back to the economic community. “I’m proud of what AU SIFE is accomplishing in our community, Jaracz states. “We’re a group of hardworking students who take what we do seriously. Whether dealing with students or business professionals, AU SIFE is fully committed to servant leadership. I couldn’t have chosen a better way to spend the last four years in college than the time I spent with SIFE. Students who get involved are truly making a difference, not just in our community, but across the globe.”

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

Five Anderson University business students, Jonah McDonough, Peter Odren, Perry Childs, JinAyla Sexton, and Chad Schubert recently participated in the second annual I-69 Collegiate Innovation Challenge at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana. They joined students from Ball State University, Huntington University, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Taylor University.

The Anderson University Falls School of Business (FSB) recently announced that students will have the opportunity to invest $100,000 as part of a senior level investments class. The Raven Fund will allow students to learn how to manage an investment fund through a real-world experience. Each semester, a senior-level class of about 10 students will take control of the fund, deciding how to invest the money.

“If you’ve ever seen that TV show ‘Cheers,’ it’s like the character Norm,” said Joshua Scott.

As owner of TransAtlantic Collections, Scott’s business is third-party collections. He settles unpaid bills, such as the unpaid tab accumulated by the amiable patron of the fictional Boston bar.

For Scott, however, the business relationship is not as friendly as a neighborhood watering hole. Court costs, increasing competition and Anderson’s economic woes make every day a challenge. That is where Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) enters the picture.

On Sept. 26, SIFE Consulting of Anderson University kicked off its 2007-2008 season with an open house at the Flagship Enterprise Center. For the next six months, 25 AU students will work with five local businesses: ID Graphics, Rubicon Foods, Vision Signs, Premium Crystal and TransAtlantic Collections. The students receive a nominal salary but will also gain real-world business experience.

“This is a great opportunity for the most enterprising of our students to step up for the benefit of all,” said Michael Wiese, professor of marketing at AU’s Falls School of Business. “SIFE consulting and Entrepreneurship is a way to get the best possible educational experience and to make a real difference in our local community.”

The open house provided an opportunity for Scott and other business owners to meet with their five-student team for the first time. Each team also includes a faculty advisor. Scott said he faces competition from two known competitors, but believes he has a solid business model.

“Anderson has more than enough bad debt to go around,” he said.

SIFE has contributed to improving the business climate in Anderson in recent years and is one reason the Indiana Chamber of Commerce named Anderson its Community of the Year in September. Students have been involved in SIFE at Anderson University for more than 16 years in three distinct areas: SIFE Education, SIFE Consulting and SIFE International.

Mark Motluck is a Sam Walton Professor at Anderson University and adviser for SIFE. He said the organization is found on nearly 2,000 college campuses.

“SIFE is involved with the promotion of free enterprise to assist individuals and businesses along the lines of free enterprise and how we all benefit from free enterprise,” Motluck said. “Students put together projects to educate small businesses and to educate the public.”

Motluck said the chapter includes 80 students. SIFE is not part of the curriculum for Falls School of Business and Motluck said SIFE members come from all academic programs.

“These students are really dedicated, they’re committed to the concept and to the ideals of free enterprise,” he said. “We encourage students from across campus to become involved. In our consulting work, we deal with graphic skills and computer skills so we can’t just rely on business-school students.”

As a freshman at Anderson University, Stacey Jaracz was looking for a way to get involved. She found SIFE.

“Anderson has been economically depressed, there has been a loss of jobs moving out because of (the closure of automotive factories),” said Jaracz, now a senior marketing major. “The reason we do what we do is to encourage the next generation of growth. The whole point is to create jobs in Anderson.”

Jaracz said SIFE Education makes a presentation to elementary school students called “Cheat your neighbor, cheat yourself,” in which students explain the perils of shoplifting.

“We explain why it’s wrong to steal and how it hurts the economy,” Jaracz said. “When a lot of people steal, prices go up in that store to make up for the lost profit. We try to educate them on why it is economically wrong and morally wrong.”

SIFE also uses “The Barter Game” to teach students about free trade and the scarcity of resources. Each student must construct a candy airplane, but the various components needed — LifeSavers, gum, Smarties and rubber bands — are distributed unevenly. Students must trade in order to acquire all the necessary items.

Ben Hayhurst is vice president of consulting and entrepreneurship for SIFE. He said SIFE consulting will expand its reach to freshmen. The group is preparing to undertake a freshman project running Brandon’s Coffeehouse, located just east of Anderson University.

In the meantime, teams of five students will work with each company, providing their unique services with the intent to improve the bottom line.

“The goals definitely vary from company to company and depending on student involvement, their majors and interests,” Hayhurst said. “We might create some branding strategies, a couple companies have asked us to develop a Web site for them. We will set out some preliminary objectives before we know who the students are, then the company will define their own objectives in as much detail as possible.”

SIFE Consulting also brings an element of competition. Next spring, SIFE will hold a program to identify and honor the most successful consulting team.

–Justin Schneider is a reporter for The Herald Bulletin in Anderson. Story republished with permission.

Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson continues to be recognized as a top Christian college: in 2008, U.S. News and World Report ranked Anderson University among the best colleges and universities in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing and theology.

US News and World Report has again ranked Anderson University among the best universities in the Midwest offering master’s level degree programs. Institutions in this category offer a full range of both undergraduate and master’s level degree programs. The magazine’s 2008 guide to “America’s Best Colleges” marks the fourth consecutive year that Anderson University has been listed among the best in its class.

College applications, scholarship information, financial aid forms, campus visits, and many other steps to entering college can be an overwhelming process to any parent or college-bound student. But for 18 incoming freshmen to Anderson University one extra step was made possible to them for the first time to outstanding academic students and leaders in their communities. New to AU this year is a program that will integrate students into campus life in a different way.