UNH Today

You're invited: On March 21, UNH Manchester Enactus team will be rehearsing their presentation for the Enactus Regional Competition in Washington, D.C. Come check it out! LEARN MORE

The University of New Hampshire at Manchester Enactus team was recently selected to receive a $1,500 grant from the Enactus Women’s Economic Empowerment Project Accelerator, made possible with funding from Walmart. The UNH Manchester team was one of 65 internationally to receive the grant, which is awarded to teams that mentor women to improve their economic stability and establish employment.

Partnering with the Dover Adult Learning Center, the Enactus team will use the grant to provide essential professional materials as well as extensive training on professionalism and interview skills. This initiative is mobilizing the team’s ability to encourage women to improve their lives. By offering a workforce development program, the team will be empowering women to sustainably participate in the job market and better their lives.

Jenna Horne, a senior in the business program and president of the Enactus team at UNH Manchester, said the team's goal is to make a difference in the lives of women at the Dover Adult Learning Center.

"We want to help them create strong resumes, perfect their interviewing skills and hopefully, in the end, get the right job for their unique set of skills," Horne said. "Being awarded the grant money gives us the opportunity to make a difference not only in the lives of the women we work with, but also in the local economy. We are so excited to continue moving forward with this project, and we have high hopes for what these women will be able to achieve. "

Determined to exemplify the Enactus mission to create a better world through entrepreneurial action, the UNH Manchester Enactus team is dedicated to this project and the success of those they are working with. This year, along with this project, they are working with four local small businesses to provide aid in establishing their brand and achieving sustainability in their businesses through marketing, product development and even financial tracking. The entrepreneurs that own these businesses include women, immigrants and U.S. military veterans.

Along with the Economic Empowerment grant, the team was awarded $2,000 last fall for their team’s placement in the 2015-2016 National Competition. This money was awarded from Sam’s Club to continue the team’s work with local small businesses.

UNH Manchester Enactus advisor Dr. Kelly Kilcrease noted that the second award will be crucial to the empowerment of local businesses.

"With the money received, coupled with students' knowledge of business principles, a number of businesses have been able to improve their financial performance and thus increase their profit," Kilcrease said. "I am very excited about how the students have used this money in helping a variety of small firms."

Learn more our business program, and keep up with the latest news from UNH Manchester's Enactus here or on Facebook. Be sure to stop by the team's rehearsal presentation on March 21!