By Michael Adkison
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — “Students Acquiring Knowledge Through Leadership,” is not just a statement. It’s the name of a business class, called S.A.K.E., here at the University.
And its curriculum has only one task: run a business called ForeverRed.
“ForeverRed is a fully non-for-profit, student-run organization,” said Torey Morris, a S.A.K.E. student.
Students enrolled in the S.A.K.E. program work each week running the ForeverRed company.
Morris is the current commercialization manager for ForeverRed.
Each week, S.A.K.E. students take a look at revenue, sales, marketing, and new products to sell, all while balancing their other courses.
“We actually get to apply our knowledge from class into a different setting,” said Marisa Villanueva, a S.A.K.E. marketing manager.
ForeverRed products include Razorboxes, filled with items to help students get through the semester, and their brand new product: a senior walk replica.
“If you were to go to Senior Walk and cut your name out with a laser cutter and pull your brick out of the ground, that’s essentially what the product is,” Morris said.
S.A.K.E. has been a part of the University of Arkansas curriculum for nearly 20 years.
“We spend a lot of time teaching theory,” instructor Carolyn Rodeffer said. “But when students come into SAKE, they really have to address the real-world problems associated with running a small business.”
While most S.A.K.E. students say that the course is one of their favorites, one student has a small request:
“I wish we got paid,” said Jack Robinson.
S.A.K.E. is split in two programs: Venture S.A.K.E. and Legacy S.A.K.E., each of which plays different roles in the entrepreneurship process.
Applications for Spring have closed, but S.A.K.E. is likely to continue for the 2020-2021 school year.
Rodeffer says the course is not designed for just business students, and students of all majors can apply for S.A.K.E.