Criteria 3
Entrepreneurship
Impact Berea
Challenge: Unlike similar regions in the country, Berea only attracts 50,000 tourists per year on average. Since tourism is very important to the local community, our SIFE team created an innovative tourism product that would improve the experience of those visiting Berea, KY and boost the economic impact in the area.
Action: A team of six students from SIFE Berea College contributed 670 hours to put together a deck of cards with testimonials from actual tourists who visited Berea, Kentucky’s historical and recreational sights. Each card contains a description, pictures, map and detailed contact information of one location such as a small business in the area. A one-day completion was held among teams of freshman students to collect information for the cards by scavenging for quality pictures, description and contact information from business in the community. The team that covered the most businesses in the area received a prize from our SIFE team contributed by our local Wal-Mart.
Result:The businesses featured in the deck of cards turned to be more frequently visited by tourists, as they represent the cultural heritage of the Appalachian region. This project resulted in an ongoing partnership with 60 local businesses and the creation of 1,000 decks of Impact Berea cards. A team of 30 students was formed and raised $1,300 through partnership with the Berea Tourism Department in appreciation for our efforts to further their mission and promote the region.