Speakers present at an ENACTUS club meeting / Photo courtesy of Bridget Vogl
BY MARNIQUE OLIVIERI-PANEPENTO, STAFF WRITER
The non-profit, internationally recognized educational organization ENACTUS promotes partnerships between leaders in business and university students while focusing on using entrepreneurial strategies to benefit the community.
“St. Bonaventure University is already a community, and ENACTUS is a family,” said co-CEO Allison Lefebre, a senior health science administration major (individualized program).
The club stands for: (EN) Entrepreneurial, (ACT) action made by (US) students around the world are making entrepreneurial projects to solve the social problems the community faces. The organization was founded by Robert T. Davis in 1975.
Members of ENACTUS work together to allow everyone’s ideas to be heard and executed while its main focus is team building and personal leadership. This year, there are about 40 members, the majority being upperclassmen students, and a couple of freshmen, who participate in projects. ENACTUS is open to all majors to join and excel, not just business majors, and all students have the opportunity to become well-developed leaders.
Last week the club helped run a Harry Potter event at the Challenger Learning Center in Olean which was a huge success. On Halloween, they decorated cars at the community Trunk or Treat event which took place at the Olean Public Library. Another favorite past event was Dream It! Do It! in 2019, where students from elementary schools came to Bonaventure to create cars out of craft supplies.
On Nov. 5, ENACTUS will host their largest fall event, Canvas for a C.U.R.E, at The Burton from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Lefebre said the group cannot wait to see how many canvases they can paint this year.
Mackenzie Bush, a senior marketing major and ENACTUS co-CEO, said canvas is also her favorite event because it is a great fundraising opportunity.
“This was the first event my freshman year that I was involved in,” said Lefebre. “It was on a much smaller scale back then. Prior to COVID-19, we held a fundraiser on campus just for students.”
Last year, the leaders decided it was time to make the fundraiser larger.
“I worked closely with Dr. Todd Palmer (club advisor), graduates from last year, and other ENACTUS members to run our event at The Burton,’ she said. “This was the first project I oversaw in the club, and I am very passionate about it.”
Instead of the group’s annual January service trip to the Bahamas, due to hurricane damage and COVID-19 policies, the group will be traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina. Both events drove the club to create more projects and raise student involvement. The trip will be centered around service and networking with Bonaventure alumni in the area.
“Students are willing to be more involved since COVID-19, the younger members are taking initiative, and everyone has big expeditions for our events,” ENACTUS President Gracie Lee, a senior marketing major and two-year club member, said.
Their mission is to create great leaders in both the workplace and in the world.
“The best part about our team is the way we can adapt and change,” Lefebre added. “We encourage self-confidence within our members.”
Lee thinks students can continue to develop such skills in the future by attending leadership certificate programs and seminar sessions about running businesses. They motivate students to take control, plan and coordinate projects, practice networking, build business skills and practice using LinkedIn.
“We have many students who come to us that are reserved, and by the end of their time in ENACTUS, they have led projects and teams of people in terrific ways,” Lefebre highlighted.
The club has weekly checkups with their leaders and members to ensure that everyone is learning and working together.
“It feels like a small business full of hardworking people,” said Bush, who joined the club in 2019.
All three senior women are enthusiastic about ENACTUS’ future. They help emphasize the importance of leadership and compassion within the community and advance students on how to communicate professionally.
ENACTUS acts as a catalyst for positive social and environmental impact.
“I don’t think we have another club on campus that is as focused on team-building and personal leadership,” Lefebre said.
olivieme19@bonaventure.edu
