Flagler’s Enactus advances to national competition

Three projects that were inspired by the powerful effects of Hurricane Matthew have advanced Flagler’s Enactus team to the national Enactus competition.
Each year, Enactus students compete regionally to earn a spot in the National Exposition, a competition that rewards top teams with a coveted national title. Students are judged on their ability to achieve the organization’s mission, which is “to empower people to transform opportunities into real, sustainable progress for themselves and their community.”
Flagler Enactus decided to focus this year’s presentation on addressing the immediate needs of its St. Augustine community.
“Our community was battered and bruised from the hurricane, but not broken,” said Eric Crosby, president of Flagler College Enactus. “The community really inspired our team.”
As part of the Flagler’s team presentation at the regional competition in Atlanta, students focused on three projects, all of which assist individuals affected by Hurricane Matthew: helping rebuild retail and tour business Flagler’s Legacy, the organization’s pioneering project that was started 18 years ago; launching SplitSpace, an online service that matches hurricane-affected entrepreneurs with other business owners who desire to share their storefront space; and expanding the products and opportunities of Dominican Republic-based soap company Dominican Waves, by hiring more employees and designing a hygiene education program to address water-borne diseases that emerged after the storm.
According to Crosby, Flagler Enactus will be presenting a refined, expanded version of these projects at the National Exposition in Kansas City, Mo. from May 21 to 23.
Flagler’s Enactus, one of 533 Enactus teams across the U.S., has won national titles for their projects in 2004, 2009 and 2013. It placed third last year.