‘Legendary’ UMKC Enactus team earns spot in national entrepreneurship finals
May 9, 2019 | Austin Barnes
The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Enactus team is the fourth most impactful in the country, declared Ben Williams.
“At UMKC Enactus, we take the world’s greatest challenges into our own hands, channeling our power as students, advocates, and entrepreneurs,” the team told a crowd gathered Tuesday at the Kansas City Convention Center, as they took the stage in the final round of the Enactus U.S. nationals.
University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Enactus team; Photo courtesy of Darcy Howe
“I’m excited with how well the UMKC Enactus team performed, but it is not unexpected considering the trajectory they have been on over the years,” said Williams, managing director of the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Enactus advisor at UMKC.
Students in the UMKC branch of Enactus — a competitive entrepreneurial development program with a 1,000-plus campus and global reach — have finished in the top 32 at the U.S. Nationals for the last four years, Williams explained.
Click here to learn more about Enactus and its mission to promote innovation and entrepreneurship on college campuses.
The competition featured 400 teams, solidifying the significance of the achievement for UMKC, Williams said.
“This team is legendary,” Megan Darnell, program manager at Fountain City Fintech and UMKC Bloch school alum, congratulated the team on Twitter.
In addition to the ranking, members of the UMKC Enactus team secured two individual awards.
Andrea Savage — who also won the UMKC student entrepreneur of the year award in 2018 — was named Enactus USA project leader of the year.
Ali Brandolino, UMKC Enactus vice president of operations, was recognized as Enactus USA membership leader of the year.
A Reverse Pitch Competition — a new track of competition for the team — saw two UMKC Enactus members join forces with four students from other schools to pitch a solution to a challenge presented by the Kansas City Area Development Council, Williams noted.
“These students will be the leaders of the future and we are lucky to be part of their development,” he said.
Featured Business
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Chicken N Pickle splits spotlight with the Chiefs as FOX News broadcasts live from OP location
While the national focus this week is on football — and the Kansas City Chiefs’ drive for their third straight Super Bowl championship on Sunday — hometown pickleball got its share of the spotlight early Thursday thanks to a visit from “FOX & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy. Doocy — a Kansas City Chiefs fan who…
Crows Coffee expanding to Troost with on-site roasting, wholesale bakery (and eventually a new social activation)
A decade after opening the first Crows Coffee and two more cafes later, owner Zach Moores is undertaking a major expansion — this time with a project encompassing more than 10,500 square feet on Troost Avenue. While much larger than he planned, the two buildings Moores recently purchased pushed him to expand his vision for…
How the Chiefs inspired this Kansas City immigrant to embrace his new home (and start his own business)
Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. Robert Galica, an immigrant from Mexico City and a Chiefs fanatic, started hosting tailgates at Arrowhead Stadium in a school bus…
Brimming with gratitude: Super Bowl caps viral popularity as KC-stitched hat brand returns home
When Taylor Webb watches the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl rematch Sunday from a crowded spot at Power & Light, he’ll be surrounded by friends and fellow Chiefs fans — and with any luck, a sea of caps bearing his trendsetting signature upside-down “Kansas City” design. Odds are good for the Kansas City native, who recently relocated…