September 23, 2005 Source: Mount Allison University:
http://www.mta.ca/news/index.cgi?id=816 Sharing the Knowledge SACKVILLE, NB — Mount Allison University commerce and fine arts student Thea Shaw has been selected to represent Canada at the HSBC Financial Literacy Forum, part of the prestigious 2005 SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) World Cup, to be held in Toronto on October 4. Shaw is a member of a team of six ACE (Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship) students who worked on a project that shared important business skills with a remote First Nations reserve in Newfoundland. Representatives of the HSBC identified this project as one of the best in Canada. SIFE is an international non-profit organization with members in over 40 countries. Working with HSBC and faculty at each university, SIFE supports students in their development of community outreach projects. Shaw and students from 27 countries will spend their time in Toronto exchanging information on their projects and exploring ways to improve them. The students at Mount Allison University worked with the Miawpukek First Nations reserve in Newfoundland. Shaw explained “The intention was to provide the community with ways to reach external markets by creating an online store and corresponding online community.” The students traveled to Newfoundland and offered workshops to business owners, managers, and Band Council program directors on marketing, with an emphasis on tourism, and on organizational behaviour. They also gave workshops to a high school class on preparing business plans, writing resumés, interview skills, and financial planning skills. Both groups were also taught photo editing and web site design. The project, according to Shaw, is intended to be taken to other remote reserves in the Maritimes where communities are isolated by their geographic location but possess a commitment to economic development. Shaw, President of ACE MTA, says, “This project gave us all the opportunity to experience hands-on learning and immersed us in a new and enriching community. ACE MTA is committed to running quality projects that positively impact our community and we look forward to working on similar projects this year.” Leslie Amegavie, a commerce student, was a member of the project with Erin Bell, Adam Binet, Stacey MacKenzie, and Siobhan Wiggans, who all graduated this past May. The students came from disciplines from across the university including English, anthropology, geography, fine arts, and political science. In addition to receiving funding from the HSBC Education Trust and the Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets division of HSBC, the ACE MTA group was also funded by the SAC (Mount Allison’s Students’ Administrative Council), Mount Allison’s Aboriginal Community Development Centre (ACDC), and Leadership Mount Allison. —30— For further information please contact ACE MTA (ace@mta.ca).
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