Turning any idea into real-world impact takes more than ambition. Through projects rooted in sustainability and community need, Enactus SAIT, a student-led social entrepreneurship club, is helping students build practical skills, gain experience across disciplines and create solutions that reach beyond campus. 

For former Enactus SAIT co-presidents Yumnaa Farooq (Bachelor of Business Administration ’26) and Keshav Sharma (Bachelor of Business Administration ’27), that was made possible by ensuring the club reflected collaboration and innovation beyond business students. They built roles for students across SAIT — from marketing, finance and human resources to software development, research and project management. 

“When we joined, we were told it’s like running your own little company,” says Farooq. 

The Hydra Herder project demonstrated what Enactus could build when a student’s idea was tested against a citywide problem. Inspired by Calgary’s water main breaks, the student-led project uses sensor data and machine learning to help detect issues before they become major failures.  

Through SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services, Enactus also initiated EcoSphere, an application that helps identify if the Green Building Technologies Access Centre is operating at zero emissions and predicts its energy consumption and generation. 

Enactus used the same discipline to decide which ideas deserved time and resources. Farooq says every project had to begin with a clear problem, a needs assessment and alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Some ideas were cut because they were not feasible or would rely too heavily on grants without a way to continue. 

“Each project is entrepreneurial, but it should also create positive change,” says Farooq. 

The approach helped Enactus SAIT grow to more than 40 members and log more than 6,000 volunteer hours. Members gained practical experience through project roles, competitions, mentorship, bursaries, accelerators and national recognition.  

Growth forced the team to rebuild how it communicated. As the organization expanded, tasks were getting lost between executive teams and project managers. Farooq and Sharma created new vice-president roles for operations and projects, reduced some co-director positions and strengthened accountability so information moved more clearly through the organization. 

For Enactus, meaningful impact is measured in more than attendance and outreach. Through UpSkill, a project that teaches financial literacy to those in addiction recovery, the team looks at pre- and post-workshop surveys, participant testimonials, recovery staff feedback and the number of people reached directly and indirectly. Just as important is whether participants leave with more confidence and practical skills they can use. 

The same standard guided Enactus SAIT’s 2026 Industry Night, which brought together students from the School of Business, School for Advanced Digital Technology and MacPhail School of Energy with seven industry partners, including Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Google Cloud, RBC, Sun Life, Calgary Police Service and Futurpreneur. For the team, inclusion means creating professional spaces where students from different backgrounds can see themselves represented, make contacts and feel supported. 

Looking ahead, Enactus SAIT plans to keep building roles around student goals and real community needs. For Sharma, the value is practical. Enactus gave him finance, budgeting and leadership experience, which he talks about in job interviews. 

“We’re able to apply these transferable skills into our professional lives and careers in the future,” he says.