Written by Ricky Choi

Imagine the scene as a group of 34 SFU students trek down the streets of Calgary in business suits and.....cowboy hats! This was one of the many poignant images that come to mind when looking back at the 2010 ACE National Exposition that took place from May 10th to 12th.

In the SIFE competition, Simon Fraser University placed as a National Semi-Finalist as 43 teams across Canada competed in determining which SIFE team created the greatest social and economic impact in their communities through the power of business and entrepreneurship. SIFE Simon Fraser's projects were showcased to a judging panel of industry professionals at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre, and the 24 minute presentation covered everything from SIFE's graphic design business MADrenegade, to the environmental sustainability program Banner Bags.

Team coach Sabaina Saif was confident that it was the innovative nature of SIFE Simon Fraser's projects that led to our semifinalist position:

"I've seen people think outside the box over the course of the year. Our Banner bags program was a good example of student innovation and people took notice. But even beyond that, it was the fact that our projects had sustainability that really made it stand out. These projects were designed to be carried forward year after year to create lasting impactful change."

Along with placing in the semifinals, SIFE Simon Fraser was selected as one of 6 teams across Canada to participate in the first annual RBC Blue Water Challenge. The team presented on a pilot program targeting water sustainability in the City of Port Moody.

Accompanied by faculty advisor Sam Thiara, Simon Fraser University was represented by 35 SIFE members, a record number that indicated how far the SIFE team has come in the past three years.

SIFE president Anoop Aulakh emphasized this achievement: 

"Having over thirty members with us just proves how far we've come. Just three years ago we had just six members here to represent SFU. To come to nationals this year with this many members allowed us to not only compete but be able to celebrate everything that was accomplished during the year."