JOE GUSTAFSON SOLE RECIPIENT OF

NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

 TITUSVILLE, June 5 -- Joe Gustafson was selected as the sole recipient in the United States of the Two-Year Jules and Gwen Knapp Scholarship.  The announcement was made in May at the 2003 SIFE USA National Exposition, hosted by the Kansas City Business Community in Missouri.

Gustafson is the son of Joseph H. and Charlotte Gustafson of Titusville.  A Titusville resident and student at the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville, Gustafson previously lived in Townville and Blooming Valley.  He graduated from Saegertown High School in 1985.

Gustafson has been active in Student in Free Enterprise at UPT for two year.  This year he served as the SIFE Team president, and in 2001/2002 he served as secretary.  Gustafson helped the team with several projects, including SAFE and Workplace Ethics.  He was instrumental in the SIFE Team’s winning of the regional championship in Cleveland in 2002 and 2003, and he was a member of the University of Pittsburgh SIFE presentation team at the SIFE USA National competition in 2002 and 2003.

The Jules and Gwen Knapp Scholarship is awarded annually at the SIFE National Competition to a SIFE Student who has made a significant difference in the success of their SIFE Team and exhibited outstanding leadership, communication and team leader skills. 

The application process involved a one page essay on how SIFE has changed the applicant’s life, plus an essay on how the applicant has changed someone else’s life through SIFE.  In addition, Gustafson submitted a resume, college transcript, and three recommendations.

The scholarship includes full tuition, books and all fees for one academic year.  Melanie O. Anderson, the Sam Walton Fellow for the UPT SIFE Team, said, “Joe has been an outstanding member of the SIFE Team at Pitt.  It is a very distinct privilege for Joe to be selected as the scholarship recipient, as this is a very competitive scholarship with stringent criteria.  We are very proud of Joe’s accomplishments and extend congratulations from the SIFE Team and the University.” 

Founded in 1975 and active on more than 1400 college and university campuses in 33 countries, SIFE is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with business and higher education to provide students the opportunity to make a difference and to develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise.

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To read more about the SIFE Team in Kansas City, click on UPT SIFE Team Competes At National Free Enterprise Competition.

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