Enactus project ranked best in U.S.
Monday, June 12, 2017 2:00 AM
News, Milestones
Pittsburg, KS
A project by Pittsburg State’s Enactus group was named best in the nation at this month’s Enactus United States National Exposition.
The Pittsburg State Enactus Homeless Solutions project, which aims to raise money and awareness for the homeless population in Pittsburg, earned first place at national competition and earned the team a $7,500 grant. As part of the project, Enactus students are working with city officials to develop a plan for homeless shelters in the Pittsburg community.
“We are very excited and honored by the first-place designation for the project,” said junior Tali Ayala-Feliciangeli, one of the student leaders of the project. “We work very hard on this project, and it’s for such a noble and necessary cause. To be honored in this way is incredibly humbling.”
And that was just the start of the good news for the PSU Enactus team at nationals.
The group, overall, placed 32nd in the nation and earned $1,000. The group president, Jeffrey Yankovich, was inducted into the first cohort of the Enactus Student Fellows, and speaking-team member Heather Burger was named Enactus Student Ambassador for 2017-2018 while also earning a $10,000 scholarship.
“Our team did exceptionally well and is super satisfied with where we finished overall,” Yankovich said. “We accomplished a lot this year as a team with hard work and dedication, and the results are a testament to that work.”
To cap off the team’s success at national this year, Enactus adviser Suzanne Hurt was inducted into the Sam Walton Fellow Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors fellows from two colleges/universities who have done the most to advance the Enactus organization during the current academic year.
“It’s an incredible honor for me, to be sure,” Hurt said. “But honestly, what’s most important to me is the success of our students. Seeing them succeed and grow as young adults is the reason I do this. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is very humbling and gratifying, but it wouldn’t have happened without the hard work and devotion of our students. They make all of this happen, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.”
Yankovich said Hurt is “very deserving” of the Hall of Fame honor.
“Suzanne does more for us than she probably even realizes,” he said. “She supports us in all that we do, and she encourages us to push ourselves and become more. We couldn’t be more excited for her, and there is no one more deserving of the Hall of Fame than she is.”