College Enactus students win big at Nationals

Okanagan College Media Release

Okanagan College Enactus students won big at the 2019 Canadian Enactus National Championships competition, taking home both a gold and bronze medal for creating real-world solutions to problems that face many Canadian communities, financial literacy and environmental waste.

OC Enactus students competed in the national championships, held from May 7 to 9 in Vancouver. Over the course of the three-day event, students showcased how their community outreach projects and business ventures are enabling progress through entrepreneurial action.

A team of four OC students won a first-place finish in the Canadian Western Bank Financial Education category. Their project, CANsave, inspires kindergarten and elementary-level students to learn about budgeting, saving and distinguishing good debt from bad debt.

The CANsave project was presented by Okanagan College School of Business students Mitchell Folk, Iris Pham, Carmen Larder and Zachary Plaxton.

“It was an incredible send-off to my degree to have a first-place nationals finish,” says Folk. “Enactus offers such a unique experience. You get to put your business skills to use while contributing to a team and the community. It’s a great opportunity to build relationships and network. I encourage any student to take part if they have the chance.”

OC Enactus students also earned a third-place finish in the Environmental category for the FruitSnaps project, which repurposes fruit that was destined for the landfill into delicious and healthy snacks. FruitSnaps was also awarded the Hellmann’s Real Food Rescue Best New Project award. The presenting students were OC’s Jessica Egyed, Karsten Ensz, Relan Johanson and Sean Rossouw.

Egyed was recognized for her outstanding leadership and received one of the 10 coveted founder’s bursaries worth $2,500.

OC’s Abby Lagerquist also received top recognition and took home the top Project Leader of the Year award for her work on the FruitSnaps project.

“The students’ success on the national stage is a result of the hundreds of hours poured into a project that is having a direct impact on the lives of young Canadians,” says Devin.

Rubadeau, OC Enactus coach and Okanagan School of Business professor. “The students should take pride in knowing that their entrepreneurial solutions to real-world issues are being viewed favourably by Canada’s top business leaders.”

Bill Gillett, Dean of the Okanagan School of Business, speaks to the value of the hands-on learning students receive from Enactus.

“Unlike academic case competitions, the Enactus awards are based upon the significant contributions to improving the lives of members of our local communities and in communities across Canada,” says Gillett. “The OC team has not only earned awards for the implementation of their innovative projects, but also made a real difference in the lives of literally thousands of Canadians. The recognition of the CANSave and FruitSnaps projects, in particular, and all of the projects by the Enactus team at Okanagan College is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students and their mentors.”

For more information about Okanagan College’s Enactus program, visit okanagan.bc.ca/enactus.