Question: Student involvement is an extremely important part of the MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. What type of student club or campus community event do you envisage yourself initiating? How would you set about organizing this, and how would you communicate it to the wider School community?
When I first came to America, I decided not to allow myself to be the quiet guy from South Korea. So upon entering college, I immediately joined the Korean Students Organization and the Asian-American friendship group. I actively participated in every event, meeting, fund raiser, and activity by these two groups and slowly I started to learn English and gradually became familiar with the American way of life. It was a big leap to endless fast food chains and television sitcoms. Needless to say, I truly enjoyed being an active member of these groups and soon they weren’t enough. I then joined the International Students organization that was an eye opener for me. I then was exposed to more cultures and especially the sub-cultures in the United States. If there is a group like this in ________ University, then I would surely be the first to sign up. If not, then I would try to create one myself.
I really would like to act as an ambassador of South Korea and raise people’s awareness of our culture, history, customs, and current situation. I believe that understanding is the key to building strong relationships and this is what I have come to love about the International Students group. Aside from doing this, I would also love to know about the other cultures as well. Other students’ experiences in their country, as well as the change in lifestyle upon arriving in the United States are also information I believe that are worth knowing. Sharing embarrassing experiences like not knowing what to say when confronted by an English speaker, getting lost because of not understanding signs, and having a problem even from ordering a simple hamburger is a way of moving on and just laughing about them in the end.
I find that an important aspect of such clubs is that the world is more globalized than ever before. It is easier for companies to deal with clients from across the world and a good knowledge of their culture can be a key factor in gaining their trust. People around the globe are usually honored to find that you have taken the time to learn about their culture and language.
Joining a club also helps you learn to interact and perform with a group. This is usually the case in a real world setting. Businesses function through team and networking. If you have a solid foundation in networking, then it would be easy to get to know the giants of the industry you are in, which will give way to a smooth climb to the top. A lot of big business deals have been made over lunch and the proper knowledge and experience of knowing how to interact and converse would build solid stepping stones to success.
Photo Credit : diongillard
