LOYALIST COLLEGE
Enactus Loyalist earns Central Canada Championship title, advancing to national competition

Loyalist College's Enactus team has been named Central Canada Regional Champions in the Innovation and Impact Challenge at the Enactus Canada Central Canada Regional Exposition held March 5 - 6 in Mississauga. The team will advance to the National Exposition in Calgary this May. 

Competing against over 20 post-secondary institutions, including McGill University (Runner-Up) and Queen's University (Second Runner-Up), the Loyalist team's innovative project "The MEAT-LE$$ Menu" impressed judges with its approach to sustainable, plant-based food options for institutional food services. 

"This group of exceptional leaders worked so hard to prepare for their presentation and knocked it out of the park,"  says Dean Howley, a faculty advisor to the Enactus Loyalist team. "We are incredibly proud of them - it's an honour and a privilege to share in the experience and celebrate with them." 

The MEAT-LE$$ Menu project aims to collaborate with institutional food service providers to integrate sustainable, plant-based ingredients and dishes into traditional menus. The initiative focuses on making environmentally friendly eating more accessible and affordable without sacrificing taste or increasing costs for institutions. 

The Loyalist presentation team included Environmental Technology students Marsha Beebe, Lizzie Inglis and Madeline Ball, Environmental Technician student Lauren Kiser, Chemical Engineering Technician student Luke Shortt, and Finance and Analytics students Kierran Singh and Sada Horiya. "Loyalist proved that even small schools can make a huge impact," said Singh. "To see our names as Champions' above prestigious schools like Queen's and McGill fills me with incredible pride." 

Enactus Loyalist President Abigail Senger noted, "The team's hard work has truly paid off, demonstrating that Loyalist students can not only compete with but also outperform those from larger institutions."  Team member Lizzie Inglis added, "When we started this project, winning regionals seemed unattainable. But here we are! We can do our part to educate people about how simple it is to reduce their carbon footprint - and how tasty it can be." 

The Enactus Canada Innovation and Impact Challenge evaluates projects based on problem definition, research quality, innovation, business model viability, team collaboration and demonstrated impact. Teams present their projects in a competitive, live presentation format judged by business leaders.

"At Loyalist, we empower our students to challenge themselves and pursue their personal and professional dreams, knowing they have a supportive network of faculty and staff behind them every step of the way," says Mark Kirkpatrick, Loyalist College President and CEO. "The success of our Enactus team demonstrates how our students are developing future-focused skills to lead change in their fields and become better global citizens." 

Enactus Loyalist now advances to the Enactus Canada National Exposition, taking place May 6 - 8 at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre. There, they will compete for the opportunity to represent Canada on the global stage. 

Enactus is an international non-profit organization that inspires students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action. The organization provides a platform for teams of university and college students to create community development projects.