Cleveland, OH - John Carroll University’s outstanding program in entrepreneurship has found success by “learning through doing” in the true spirit of free enterprise.  The John Carroll University Chapter of Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) has recently achieved a major goal- -obtaining national distribution of a product, the Blue Star, the chapter developed through
Wal-Mart and Paper Magic. 

Wal-Mart and Paper Magic are major sponsors of SIFE.  In fact, the faculty member in charge of the SIFE program is known as a “Sam Walton Fellow.”  Sam Walton is the founder of Wal-Mart.  JCU’s Sam Walton Fellow is Dianne Welsh, Ph.D.  Dianne holds the Kahl Chair in Entrepreneurship at JCU and is the academic director of the Muldoon Center for Entrepreneurship.  “This is the first product that we know of that has been developed by a SIFE chapter anywhere that has been placed in Wal-Mart” Dr. Welsh says.

Blue Star cling-ons, developed in close cooperation between the SIFE students and their SIFE Business Advisory Board, is a window cling-on patterned after “Blue Star Banners” widely used by family members of soldiers serving during World War II and the Korean War, originally designed by the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.  The cling on developed at JCU is six inches square and is meant for use by family and friends of those serving their country in any branch of service, anywhere in the world, who wish to show support for our troops.  “We were inspired by the sacrifices made by many young men and women in the Cleveland area, particularly that of JCU grad Chris Britton, who tragically lost his life early on in the war with Iraq” said David Levey, a SIFE Business Advisory Board member who has been involved with the Blue Star

When dealing with Wal-Mart, the quantities ordered are enormous, with over 3,500 stores in the United States and abroad.  The first order from Wal-Mart, who worked with JCU SIFE to perfect the product, is for 83,768 cling-ons.  With a retail price of $1.49, that means sales of over $125,000 of Blue Stars this summer.  A portion of the distributor’s proceeds from the sale of the product will go to the JCU SIFE chapter and the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. 

Blue Star cling-ons can be purchased at Wal-Mart stores across the United States and through the JCU web site: www.JCU.edu/BlueStars.  For more information on the JCU SIFE program, contact Dianne Welsh, Ph.D., Kahl Chair in Entrepreneurship at dwelsh@jcu.edu or 216-397-4970 or go to their web site, www.sife.org.

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