n STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
READY TO PRESENT Coming off a record year, UMKC Enactus is prepared for the next level By Mike Plunkett
From left: Andrea Savage, Salem Habte and Ali Brandolino competed in London. Photo provided by Enactus.
I
t’s hard to summarize a years’ worth of work in about 18 minutes. But at the 2019 Enactus National Exposition, members of the UMKC Enactus team did exactly that. In front of top executives from Hallmark and other Fortune 500
“While our team has many goals, our overarching goal is to impact as many people as possible in a positive way.” — Ali Brandolino
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companies, presenters provided a robust summation of projects the 80-plus members took on, such as combating food waste using an app, partnering with a community school in Ogwuokwu, Nigeria to provide clean water and new educational opportunities and supporting entrepreneurial artists through mentorship programs.
“The student’s presentation is their best calling card. After [the judges and audience] see that, they say, ‘Oh wow, I get it,’” said Erin Blocher, assistant teaching professor and co-faculty advisor for Enactus. When Nationals was done, UMKC achieved a first: Out of more than 400 Enactus teams, recognition as one of the top four. That award was a culmination of months of hard work. It’s also the recognition of the Bloch School ensuring student-driven organizations based on human-centered design like Enactus continue to thrive. Their feat at Nationals highlights how Enactus has grown and matured as a student organization. Ben Williams, Enactus advisor, said since coming under the Bloch School in 2005, Enactus has benefited from the school’s investment in its successes. That investment includes support from Bloch alumni. FeedKC, the social
