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Alexandra Robinson Application for Member Committee President AIESEC United States 2016-2017
Alexandra Robinson
Application for Member Committee President
AIESEC United States 2016-2017
Why are you applying for the role of MCP in AIESEC US for the term 2016-2017 and who are you? I am applying for the role of AIESEC United States Member Committee President for the term 2016-2017 because I am at the moment in my AIESEC experience where I see where we have come from, what we are in the current moment, and where we want to go in the future. I have spent my entire AIESEC experience absorbing information about where our organization has been in the past while history doesn't repeat, it does rhyme, and at any given moment our organization is the collection of all experiences that have come before us. While I have looked to the past I have also experienced the present moment of our organization, as a General Member, Local Committee Vice President, Local Committee President, National Support Team coach, conference facilitator, CEEDer, exchange participant, and Member Committee Vice President so that I understand who are, not based upon assumptions but on experience. Finally, I have an eye to the future as I work with Expansions, imagining the potential of AIESEC United States to surpass even our own expectations of ourselves. In addition to possessing a clear vision of AIESEC United States in its past, present, and future, I am applying for the role of Member Committee President because I believe whole-heartedly in the value that AIESEC offers through leadership development – I believe I am a living product of AIESEC’s experiential leadership development. I am ready to continue serving the organization that has provided me with so much. I am ready to lead the organization to the be best it has been since our foundation in 1956 and leave a legacy that every year after us our performance is far surpassed, making the 2016-2017 the best term to date and the worst term every year afterwards. The way that I best understand myself is through the story of how I was raised, moving often. I cannot be sure whether wanderlust was a trait I was born with or if it developed in me through the circumstances I lived but, regardless, a history of wandering and a desire to keep doing so shapes who I am today. I developed empathy in Mississippi, the state where I became a big sister and a vegetarian. I understood privilege for the first time when I attended public school in Louisiana. I appreciated diversity for the first time in Texas. I was taught commitment when I took up horseback riding in Florida. In the desert of Arizona, I developed lifelong friendships that feel more like home than any physical place. When I returned to Louisiana I appreciated education as a way to rise above small-minded opinions. At university in North Carolina I finally understood how to contribute as a piece of a larger puzzle. In South Carolina I learned about advocacy after working alongside disenfranchised people. On exchange in Romania I finally understood my identity as an American when I had to explain why I would ever want to leave my home. Finally, in New York, I am embracing living in the present in a role and in a city that move past me too quickly. I get older, move on to new places, and form new relationships; all the while developing the self-awareness to understand I am who I am because of where I have been.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name: Alexandra Robinson Member/Local Committee:
AIESEC United States (AIESEC at Chapel Hill) Email Address: [email protected]
Phone Number: +1 (225) 436-3346 Nationality: American
Birthdate: April 23, 1993 Address: 80 St. Marks Avenue, Apartment 4B, Brooklyn, NY 11217
LOGISTICAL INFORMATION
Will you be able to attend WNC in Fort Worth, Texas from December 29th to the 4th of January? Yes. International
Presidents Meeting from the 19th of February to the 2nd of March? Yes.
When is the soonest you could begin transition full time in New York after your election?
I will be serving on the Member Committee of AIESEC US until June 2016 and can begin transition in January 2016 parallel to my MC role.
As of right now, are you legally allowed to hold a CEO position in the United States? Explain why?
Yes, as a citizen of the United States I am legally allowed to hold a CEO position in the United States.
PLATFORM https://youtu.be/JhL6_7Q1A2Q
ABOUT YOU
List 20 personal strengths and 20 personal weaknesses.
What are your current and past achievements and positions of leadership/responsibility within AIESEC?
Dates Role Responsibilities and Achievements
July 2015 to present
AIESEC US MC VP University Relations
• Responsible for the establishment and development of Expansions – eight Expansions founded since July 1, 2015.
• Engage with university departments and faculty to promote Outgoing Exchange programs at universities that do not host Local Committees – 300+ applications brought in since August 1, 2015.
Jan to June 2015 NEB RST oGIP
• Provided functional support to VPs of oGIP in NEB. • oGIP facilitator at Rowdies and NEB Spring RoKS. • Delivered physical coaching at eight Local Committees.
Dec 2014 AIESEC US WNC iGIP Facilitator
• Created and delivered iGIP content aligned with national iGIP strategies to VPs and Members.
May to June 2014
AIESEC International Annual Report Editor
• Created all text content of the AIESEC International 13-14 Annual Report. • Interviewed the AI 13-14 Team, the MCPs of Brazil, Colombia, Ukraine, and Ghana, and
other key international stakeholders.
Jan to Dec 2014 AIESEC Chapel Hill LCP
• Managed an executive board of eight to deliver leadership development and international exchange experiences for university students and recent graduates – increased total exchange results by 127% over previous year.
• Secured Full Member status. • Served on Summer Steering Team and participated in the creation of a new membership
model.
Jan to Dec 2013
AIESEC Chapel Hill VP of Business Development
• Managed recruitment, training, and coaching of 19 members. • Increased team sales activity by 546% from previous year. • Secured a one TN contract and managed a team that secured a one and two TN contract. • Three members took on executive board positions in 2014. • Selected as fall NST Star Seller.
Strengths Weaknesses
Altruistic Analytic
Articulate Committed Considerate
Curious Deliberate
Detail-Oriented Empathetic Innovative
Insightful Intelligent
Kind Loyal
Passionate Perceptive
Prudent Responsible Trustworthy
Versatile
Anxious Conflict Adverse
Controlling Fearful Guilty
Hesitant Indecisive Inhibited
Judgmental Self-Sacrificing
Perfectionistic Pessimistic
Private Procrastination
Self-Critical Sensitive Serious
Shy Solitary
Talkative
ABOUT YOU
Next, identify your biggest strengths and weaknesses from this list and then elaborate on how those influence you as a leader and how will they affect your term as MCP? The two strengths that are most likely to influence me as a leader are that I am altruistic and curious. Altruistic: Service to others is my core value and this manifests through my leadership as a desire to create an environment where my team can achieve their own goals. As MCP altruism would manifest in my daily interactions with my Member Committee team and the Local Committee President class through frequent touch points where I could understand the areas I could offer support. Curious: I believe in learning by asking questions and I usually never feel settled until I fully understand new topics. As an MCP I would expect my team to be able to explain their ideas and their plans thoroughly so that they can be understood by anyone. I believe that curiosity leads me to innovative solutions even when facing complex issues because I pursue a full grasp of the ecosystem in which issues exist. The two weaknesses that are most likely to influence me as a leader are that I am pessimistic and self-sacrificing. Pessimistic: One weakness that I work to balance is a tendency towards pessimism. I believe I am realistic by nature but when I allow fear to compound my realism I become a pessimist. I have the self-awareness to usually notice when my pessimism has trapped me in a fixed mindset and in my current Member Committee Vice President term I have been confronted daily with my fears and am learning to work despite them. Self-Sacrificing: When I work in a team environment I sometimes negatively manifest altruism as self-sacrifice, where I fail to set personal boundaries in order to support those around me. Over time I have learned that I do both myself and the person I am supporting a disservice if I am not at my best, which requires prioritizing some of my own personal or work needs before I am able to give my full support to others.
Describe your relationship with the AIESEC Way and its importance to AIESEC in the US. The AIESEC Way has been the most important document in my AIESEC experience. The mission of AIESEC, to strive for peace and fulfillment of humankind's potential, could encompass an unlimited number of actions but the AIESEC Way draws focus to why we exist as an organization, how we deliver on our promise, and what we deliver. Throughout my AIESEC experience I have always felt empowered by the AIESEC Way. I used to tell my Local Committee when I was a Local Committee President that AIESEC was what they put into it and if they wanted to see innovation in the organization all they had to do was look to the AIESEC Way for the guidelines. If an idea fits into the why, how, what, and who of our organization, it is worth our attention. I think it is a necessity for members of our organization, at any level, to be able to sufficiently articulate the ideas within the AIESEC Way. It is who we are. For AIESEC in the United States the AIESEC Way gives us clarity of purpose in a country where our members are unlikely to ever agree on one definitive purpose for the existence of AIESEC in the United States. We do not have to pick one issue in order to be AIESEC for the United States, we just need to demonstrate, through all of our actions, the why, how, what, and who of our organization.
ABOUT YOU
OUR RELEVANCE
What will be the most relevant market for each of the AIESEC programs in 2016-2017? How will you ensure that AIESEC in the US increases its market share in those markets? Global Citizen: Service Learning It will be most relevant in the term 2016-2017 for AIESEC United States to explore the market of young people interested in service as the most relevant market for the Global Citizen program. It is common for service to be promoted from an early age in the American education system and universities have begun to incorporate service learning (the intersection of service and education) into university programs and degree requirements. We can increase our market share as service learning providers by seeking university approval for these programs. If we secure course credit for our programs we can also explore approval for financial aid to be used for these programs, making them more accessible for students. For the incoming Global Citizen program we have yet to reach the scale of operations to truly understand our relevant market in the United States but alignment with larger entitles, such as school districts and non-profits, will give us the opportunity not just to realize traineeships but to receive feedback on our product from the community and then from their begin pursuing our viable markets. Global Talent: Startups It will be most relevant in the term 2016-2017 for AIESEC United States to explore the ability of the Global Entrepreneurs program to provide relevance to startups in the United States or to young people from the United States looking to supplement their entrepreneurial education abroad. Research shows that unpaid internships do not increase the likelihood of employment after graduation but they do significantly contribute to job satisfaction because they offer opportunity for career exploration. The value proposition of a Global Entrepreneurs exchange then becomes career exploration in an environment where you work on many different projects with a high degree of responsibility. We increase our marketing share in the United States startup communities by aligning with startup hubs, co-working spaces, and incubators. Global Leader: Pending Research Data over time has shown that in the United States there is not one university environment in which the Global Leader programs thrives over another. It seems that the leadership in a Local Committee at a given moment most affects the success of that Local Committee. Therefore, it will be most relevant in the term 2016-2017 to understand the membership in our Global Leader program. I propose a Vice President of the Global Leader program for my Member Committee team whose responsibility will be to understand the demographics of our membership and work to distill the information that offers insights into where we can take the Global Leader program in the future.
Which statement from the AIESEC US Manifesto resonated loudest with you? Why?
The development of our members is directly connected with the pursuit of our mission.
Development: Advancement through progressive stages. Directly: Without intermediate steps. | Connected: Joined together in sequence.
Pursuit: An effort to secure or attain. | Mission: An important goal or purpose that is accompanied by strong conviction. The nouns ‘development’ and ‘pursuit’ are the parallel pillars of this statement. The development of our members = the pursuit of our mission. Along with our updated mission - “we strive for the peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential” - this Manifesto statement answers how we know if our actions are striving for peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential: through the development of our members. This statement resonates loudest with me because of the emphasis it places upon the development of our members. If our members receive the development we promise then they create cross-cultural exchanges so that our exchange participants also receive the development we promise. We cannot expect exchange programs to deliver upon our organization promise if our members have never experienced that promise and we cannot claim to be in pursuit of our mission if our members are not experiencing that promise. When we get caught in a whirlwind of options and opportunities this Manifesto statement is an anchor that re-centers us on the need to develop our members above all else.
OUR RELEVANCE
Which entities would you like to partner with for each exchange program that, in your opinion, would bring the most purpose/relevance to the US and why? The most purposeful entity partnership AIESEC United States could form for all four exchange programs would be with Mexico. We should maintain diverse entity partnerships that match the diverse preferences of our student and corporate partners but as we move forward with the AIESEC 2020 statement – shaping what we do around what the world needs – Mexico is the first entity partner that comes to mind for the United States to focus on delivering a significant portion of exchange with through an entity partnership. According to the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas over $1 billion of trade occurs between the United States and Mexico per day, over 20% of United States jobs are linked to trade with Mexico, and 30 percent of immigrants living in the United States are from Mexico. However, despite a beneficial economic relationship, stigma surrounding Mexican immigration to the United States and stereotyping of Mexicans and Mexican Americans living in the United States is pervasive. Mexico’s growing economy and emerging startup hubs mean high potential for exchange participants to have purposeful Global Talent, and especially Global Entrepreneurs exchanges in Mexico. Mexico’s population is also young, with approximately half the country under the age of 25, meaning there is also relevance for exchange participants to have Global Citizen exchanges in Mexico, working with youth. As the youth population in Mexico grows, so will university enrollment, with increased potential for exchange participants to come to the United States as part of the Global Citizen or Global Talent programs. In the past year the United States delivered a third as many exchanges as Mexico, meaning that Mexico is an entity that has a supply that matches our ambitious exchange goals but also that Mexico still has the potential to grow through a purposeful partnership with the United States. However, this is not the first time an entity partnership has been proposed between the United States and Mexico on the basis of purpose. If we want to grow our exchange programs with significant focus on Mexico we will have to invest in the partnership – through conferences, CEEDers, and targeting marketing.
In your opinion, what is the relevance of AIESEC in the US in the global network? What will be its contribution to the global network in 2016-2017? The United States hosts countless entities and organizations making true impact, such as the United Nations. The United States is also on the end of knowledge for many trends, from digital platforms to the music industry. The relevance of AIESEC in the United States is that we have the potential to educate and align the international plenary to up and coming global trends. However, at this moment, AIESEC in the United States is only relevant in the global network for our potential, not for any impact we currently make. We currently are not operating at a scale that matches our market in any exchange program, thus not providing us with the internal relevance to direct behavior in the international plenary of AIESEC. In the 2016-2017 term AIESEC in the United States has the opportunity to transform our contribution to the global plenary into something that is not just relevant but a decisive influence on the global success of the organization. I believe the contribution of AIESEC United States in 2016-2017 will be most related to the AIESEC 2020 statement – shaping what we do around what the world needs. AIESEC United States can capitalize on our proximity to the United Nations and other impactful entities as we align globally with the sustainable development goals. We can respond quickly to what we see in our country, understand our successes and failures, and share that learning with the global plenary. If we are able to pilot innovations in our exchange programs in the United States we have the potential to onboard to emerging global trends at the perfect moments.
OUR RELEVANCE
Provide an analysis of the external environment in the US and what trends AIESEC US can capitalize on to grow in 2016-2017. Which programs can benefit most and how? The external environment of the United States is experiencing a clash as universities are failing to properly prepare students for the workforce at the same time that employers are promoting younger employees to management roles and relying more on non-traditional employees as the Baby Boomer generation quickly retires. Keeping this environment in mind there are three major trends that AIESEC United States can capitalize on in 2016-2017 that will support our programs. Millennials are becoming managers. In 2016, “more than 3.6 million baby boomers are set to retire and more than one-fourth of millennial workers will become managers” according to Forbes. The Millennial workforce rebels against corporate hierarchies in favor of empowering others and focusing on impact over money. If we can distill the impact of our exchange programs, there is also opportunity to sponsor our Outgoing Exchange programs as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of our partners. Universities are not preparing students for the workplace. The mismatch between the skills students have upon university graduation and the skills in demand in the workforce is widening. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported “ 4.7 million job openings in June and more than half of employers say that they can’t find qualified candidates” for those roles. If universities and employers are failing to communicate on the curriculum alignment needed for success in the current job market than it becomes an opportunity for AIESEC to supplement traditional education with our experiential leadership development. Non-traditional employment is on the rise. Freelance jobs are on the rise as employers seek low-cost, on-demand work and employees seek flexible opportunities to replace or supplement traditional employment. According to Forbes, by 2020, “about 40% of Americans will be part of the gig economy.” Coupled with purpose-driven Millennial management, this trend offers an opportunity for growth in the incoming Global Talent program if we can successfully capitalize on the roles most likely to be replaced by non-traditional employees.
Provide a holistic analysis of AIESEC US. What trends do you see helping the organization grow as well as trends you see holding the organization back in 2016-2017? There are two trends that have the potential to help AIESEC in the United States in 2016-2017: • Conference Sustainability: As our conferences become financially sustainable we have more opportunity to improve their quality and even
see them as a source of revenue. • Diversified Exchange Programs: The introduction of the outgoing and incoming Global Entrepreneurs program and the incoming Global
Citizen programs have opened new markets to continue to explore in 2016-2017. The 2015-2016 required a focus on how to successfully implement these programs but the 2016-2017 term can focus on finding our market niche for these programs to grow exponentially.
There is one trend that has the greatest potential to hold AIESEC in the United States back in 2016-2017: • Culture of Under-Achievement: From the international to the local level as an organization it has become acceptable to not achieve
goals. This is partially a culture created by underachievement on AIESEC 2015 goals and partially a lack of institutional memory that the same actions over time will not yield new results. We have a startling number of members who have never delivered an exchange experience and Local Committees often lower their annual goals to meet their performance, instead of innovating their performance to achieve their goals. Until we choose to break the cycle of mediocrity we will never become leaders that achieve.
OUR CURRENT STATE
Provide an analysis on the relationship between AIESEC US and our current entity partners and provide insights into how we can improve and strengthen our entity partnerships.
The table below shows the top entity partners of AIESEC US by number of realization from 2010-2014. This data shows that about half of our exchanges (49%) from 2010-2014 came from just eight different entities. In U.S. News & World Report’s most recent ranking, 53 of the top 100 universities in the world are in the United States. There are over 2,000 four-year universities in the United States. This means that the United States has the greatest potential in the world to provide the largest supply of highly qualified, English speaking Exchange Participants to our entity partners. However, analysis of our exchange results show that even with our top entity partners we are not nurturing mutually beneficial partnerships. For example, in 2014, the United States realized 741 exchanges. A traineeship in Brazil or an exchange participant from Brazil made 101 of those exchanges possible (13.63%), more than any other single entity provided the United States in 2014. However, Brazil realized 5,351 exchanges in 2014, meaning the 101 exchanges made possible by the United States accounted for only 1.89% of Brazil’s exchanges that year. This means that Brazil is one of our top entity partners not because they are our partner but because they have such a large supply it is bound to result in many exchanges for the United States. This trend holds true for most of our partnerships. Even our entity partnership with Mainland of China, which peaked with a heavy proportional focus from the Member Committee at 110 outgoing Global Talent exchanges in 2010 reached an all time low of 42 in 2014, due to exchange quality and visa issues. As an organization we are shifting to an open platform, where both our corporate and student customers pay upon match and our customer service switches to value delivery. As we make that shift, there are two main ways that we can improve and strengthen our entity partnerships: • Coordinate our timeline with our entity partners. We cannot change the months that are peak for university students in the United
States to travel abroad and it is futile to create partnerships with entities who also cannot change the timeline on which they need to receive trainees. Instead, we need to focus on partners who can adjust to our timeline.
• Focus on co-delivery of LEAD with entity partners. Many of the exchange quality issues we experience stem for misaligned expectations between entities and from exchange participants. If we focus on developing strong LEAD programs and co-delivering them with our entity partners we can prevent or mitigate many quality issues with our exchanges and increase an awareness of their own leadership development in our Exchange Participants.
Outgoing Global Citizen Outgoing Global Talent Incoming Global Talent
BRAZIL 245 CHINA, MAINLAND 325 BRAZIL 45
COLOMBIA 133 COLOMBIA 90 CHINA, MAINLAND 35
INDIA 119 BRAZIL 89 UNITED KINGDOM 25
HUNGARY 101 INDIA 82 INDIA 21
CHINA, MAINLAND 95 TURKEY 79 GERMANY 21
42% of oGC realizations from 2010-2014 53% of oGT realizations from 2010-2014 53% of iGT realizations from 2010-2014
OUR CURRENT STATE
As MCP in 2016-2017, you will have the chance to create some of the first steps in the 2020 midterm ambition. What is the AIESEC in the US that you dream to see in 2020? AIESEC 2020 - We are a youth leadership movement: shaping what we do around what the world needs, growing disruptively, and being accessible to everyone everywhere. I joined AIESEC in Fall 2012 and was technically a part of ‘Gen 2015.’ However, AIESEC 2015 wasn’t mentioned in AIESEC United States until 2013. Even after I knew what AIESEC 2015 was I didn’t truly understand it until I spent the summer in 2014 working for AIESEC International – which was where I encountered ‘purposeful, collaborative, and driven’ the behaviors of Generation 2015. At International Congress 2015, where the organization came together to craft the AIESEC 2020 statements, we did not mention AIESEC 2015 a single time – out of shame that we were not going to achieve our goals and out of fear that even a mention of the culture of under-achievement we had allowed into our organization would temper our ambition for AIESEC 2020. When I imagine AIESEC in 2020 I imagine an organization that is what we say we are going to be: a youth leadership movement shaping what we do around what the world needs, growing disruptively, and being accessible to everyone everywhere. I see AIESEC as a movement, which means we take action with direction and we demonstrate how we are striving towards peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential. I see an AIESEC that is growing disruptively, no longer doing the same things and expecting different results, but innovating to surpass our expectations of ourselves. I see an AIESEC that is accessible to everyone, everywhere because our digital presence makes us relevant to both expand and understand our impact. I see an AIESEC that shapes what we do around what the world needs, working with partners that share our ambition for peace in the world and the opportunity for individuals to fulfill their potential and saying no to partnerships not based on shared values.
PLAN AND DIRECTION
What is your vision for the term 2016-2017? What national focuses do you propose that complement your vision for the term 2016-2017? Please elaborate.
The Member Committee term I envision under my leadership in 2016-2017 will be the best year our organization has experienced to date and then it will become the worst year every year after that, as we continue to grow into our organizational potential. I want to look back at this term from 2020 and see the demarcation of this year versus all that came before. 2016-2017 will be the year that we deliver the value we promise to all of our customers in a way that we cannot help but grow exponentially. We will be an organization that stands by our promise, prepared and unashamed to no longer be the best-kept secret in the United States. As the first full MC term of the 2020 Midterm Ambition it is important that our national vision for the term 2016-2017 is aligned to the global network and so my vision for the 2016-2017 term is “alignment to AIESEC 2020 through value delivery” - a national focus on delivering the value we promise to each of our customers in a way that sets us up to be a part of 2020. Growing disruptively means we are an organization of leaders that achieve, without exception. Providing value delivery to our members means they receive the leadership development we promise, which means creating the cross-cultural exchanges we deliver to our exchange participants.. To be an organization of leaders that achieve: • We need to develop and implement LEAD programs that support the Global Leader program. I propose a VP of Customer Experience to focus
on this project. • We need to start treating the Global Leader program as a core AIESEC program with team standards, just like our exchange programs. Being accessible to everyone, everywhere means we are digitally relevant. Our exchange participants are Millennials and Generation Z, technology is at the center of their decision making, and so to deliver value to them, we must be accessible and understandable digitally. To be an organization that is accessible to everyone, everywhere: • We need to align to the global direction of an open platform opportunities portal and customer payment upon match. • We need a clear online presence and digital customer experience for all exchange participants. I propose a VP Digital Experience to focus on
this project. Shaping what we do around what the world needs means being relentless in our pursuit of purposeful partnerships and being brave enough to say no to partnerships not based on shared values. If we want brand advocates created for AIESEC across sectors by 2020 we have to start now. To be an organization that shapes what we do around what the world needs: • We need to innovate the partnerships we are forming to support our operations. I propose a VP Operations and Innovations who can
coordinate the needs for external partnerships for all five AIESEC program VPs. • We need to better engage externals to make our conferences both sustainable and relevant. I propose collaborative responsibilities between a
VP Finance and a VP Business Development to engage partners through national sales and through the empowerment of Organizing Committees.
In conclusion, my vision for AIESEC United States in the term 2016-2017 is alignment to AIESEC 2020 through value delivery. We will deliver value to our customers by creating leaders that achieve, by being digitally relevant, and by forming purposeful partnerships.
PLAN AND DIRECTION
List some of the past contributions that MC 212, MC Beyond, and MC Rise have made to the national plenary over the last three years and how your vision and platform builds off of these contributions.
MC 212: • The greatest contribution that MC 212 made to the national plenary was alignment to the international plenary. The first time that AIESEC 2015 was
mentioned in AIESEC United States was during MC 212’s term. I see AIESEC 2020 as our opportunity to build off of that international alignment by being advocates for and participants in AIESEC 2020 from day one.
• MC 212 also developed the three distinct AIESEC brands: Global Leader, Global Talent, and Global Citizen. These brands are still relevant today as we grow the organization. We now have the opportunity for innovation within the Global Talent program with the introduction of Global Entrepreneurs, the opportunity to upscale our Global Citizen impact with the introduction of the incoming program in the United States, and the opportunity to emphasize the Global Leader program as a distinct program developing leaders that the world needs, not just a group of members.
My vision and platform builds off of the contributions of MC 212 with a continued emphasis on international alignment and an increased emphasis on the core AIESEC brands. AIESEC 2020 is our opportunity to align with the international plenary and be the change-makers that role model organizational goal achievement. MC Beyond: • Although MC 212 encouraged it, MC Beyond was the first Member Committee to pilot two Vice Presidents of Outgoing Exchange. This split at the national
level encourage many Local Committees to also pilot the split and it allowed for insights into the distribution of resources that allow the programs to grow or hinder their growth at the national level. In MC Beyond’s term the Global Entrepreneurs program was introduced, which introduced innovation to a program that was already successful in that MC term.
• In addition to growth in outgoing Global Talent, MC Beyond made a significant contribution to the national plenary through growth in the incoming Global Talent program. The Global Talent program is AIESEC’s oldest but slowest growing program so an MC team that showed that growth was possible in the program provided a significant mindset shift internally.
My vision and platform builds off of the contributions of MC Beyond with continued growth in both the incoming and outgoing Global Talent program. In order to further develop our Local Committees and to surpass our own limits in exchange, it will also be important to continue the trend of program focus begun the MC Beyond’s term. MC Rise: • In the first half of our term, MC Rise has made the final step towards aligning to the international plenary with the introduction of the incoming Global
Citizen program. I believe that it was appropriate in the final year of AIESEC 2015 that AIESEC United States finally moved beyond our own excuses for not operating the incoming Global Citizen program. The program now has the potential to engage new partners in the United States and increase our relevance in our communities.
• The most promising initial contribution from MC Rise’s term has been conference sustainability. Increased conference support and oversight from the Member Committee for Regional and National Conferences has begun to reverse the trend of financially unsustainable conferences. Conferences are our organization’s most important physical touch point and financial sustainability is a significant hurdle to innovation of our conference cycles and conference content.
My vision and platform build off of the contributions of MC Rise with continues growth in the incoming Global Citizen program and with the opportunity to innovate our conferences. In MC Rise’s term and in the next Member Committee term it will be important to maintain the trend of conference sustainability while also innovating the conference cycle, conference content, and partner engagement at conferences.
PLAN AND DIRECTION
What is your ambition for exchange program goals for 2016-2017? Provide an explanation for the growth you propose and a summary of strategies to achieve them. Incoming Global Citizen: Growth from 200 to 400 realizations. I would like to see 100% growth in realizations from MC Rise’s term goal and the 2016-2017 ambition for the program. As the newest exchange program in AIESEC United States there is the most potential for unparalleled growth in the incoming Global Citizen program. The key strategies for growth in the Global Citizen is high performing pilot teams and alignment with partners. Along with an emphasis on focus, all Local Committees should not be running the incoming Global Citizen program in 2016-2017 but the Local Committees that do must commit to having high preforming sales teams that are working to form partnerships with non-profits, schools, or other entities for scaled impact. We should not be selling the Global Citizen program on a small scale, we need to be selling large, multi TNs contracts to partners who can help us make true impact in communities. We will learn a lot about the program and its potential in the current MC term but since our first realizations for the program will not happen until 2016 it will still be relevant in the next MC term to be launching and learning new sales strategies in the program. Outgoing Global Citizen: Growth from 1,400 to 2,000 realizations. I would like to see 43% growth in realizations from MC Rise’s term goal and the 2016-2017 ambition for the program. MC Rise’s realization goal of 1,400 is over three times as many outgoing Global Citizen realization from the previous MC term. The importance for this program in 2016-2017 will be to showcase that we can maintain, and scale up, that level of activity. The key strategies for delivering 2,000 outgoing Global Citizen exchanges in the 2016-2017 term will be strategic entity partnerships and innovative products. As we switch to an open platform it will be crucial to have entity partners who understand the timeline and profile of our Exchange Participants so we can ensure the global supply of traineeships we need to match the scale of operations we envision. We have also only begun to scratch the surface of innovation in the Global Citizen program with the pilot of packaged products (the Ultimate Global Citizen Project). Colombia and other entitles are also piloting packages exchange programs, which have the potential to be sold to partners or marketed on a massive scale. Incoming Global Talent: Growth from 350 to 500 realizations. I would like to see 43% growth in realizations from MC Rise’s term goal and the 2016-2017 ambition for the program. A significant portion of this growth should come from an emphasis on the Global Entrepreneurs program – we need to focus sales in this program to truly understand its relevance in the United States. For the Global Talent program we need to focus on large, multi-TN contracts with impact, purposeful partners. Working with partners who are aligned to our organization values will reduce the number of quality cases we have in the incoming Global Talent program and increase our ability to re-raise and upscale with partners. Outgoing Global Talent: Growth from 450 to 600 realizations. I would like to see 33% growth in realizations from MC Rise’s term goal and the 2016-2017 ambition for the program. A significant portion of this growth should come from an emphasize on the Global Entrepreneurs program – we need to focus on forming multi-dimensional partnerships with incoming Global Entrepreneurs market to tap into an entrepreneurial populating in the United States who want to travel abroad. For the Global Talent program our strategy must be to target the market of young people seeking employment. We need to continue to work with universities and platforms where students seek opportunities to communicate that the Global Talent program can become a post-graduation option abroad.
Incoming Global Citizen
Outgoing Global Citizen
Incoming Global Talent
Outgoing Global Talent
MC Rise 2,400 Exchanges 200 1,400 350 450
MC 16.17 3,500 Exchanges 400 2,000 500 600
PLAN AND DIRECTION
Using the framework of the membership model what are your goals for entity development? Provide an explanation for the growth you propose and a summary of strategies to achieve them. As of December 1, 2015 AIESEC United States has 45 entities: 2 Full Members, 15 General Members, 12 Members on Alert, 2 Official Expansions, and 14 Initiative Groups. My goal for entity development in 2016-2017 would be to have 50 entities in AIESEC US. In terms of membership, I would set a goal for approximately 30% of our entities to be Full Member Local Committees, 50% to be General Member Local Committees, and 20% to be Expansions. This would approximate to 15 Full Members, 25 General Members, and 10 Expansions. I would strive for no Local Committees to be Members on Alert at the end of the 2016-2017 Member Committee term. The strategies I propose for entity development in 2016-2017 are program focus, member performance, and financial sustainability. Program Focus: Currently only 38% of our entities have achieved Full Member or General Member status and 27% of our entities are Members on Alert. One of the largest drivers behind the creation and unanimous passing of the new membership model was the idea of allowing Local Committees to focus on mastery of a single exchange program. I do not believe any Local Committee in AIESEC US can claim mastery of an exchange program. If there is shame, stigma, or a fixed mindset around focusing on one exchange program I would like to see that change into focus and a growth mindset in the 2016-2017 Member Committee term. Member Performance: I would also like to see Local Committees focus on member performance - we do not need to increase the number of members in AIESEC US to increase the number of exchanges we deliver in AIESEC US, we just need our members empowered and held accountable to higher performance. By the end of the 2016-2017 Member Committee term I would like AIESEC United States to have 1,500 Global Leaders, which does not require growth of the Global Leader program. Financial Sustainability: Local Committees that choose to pursue Full Member and General Member status must focus on financial sustainability, as Full Member status requires $3,000 in local reserves and General Member status requires a non-negative local account. Local Committees must strategize to make financial investments that will grow their exchange programs and yield return on investment. In addition to focus, member performance, and financial sustainability for Local Committees, I propose Member Committee responsibility for the development of Expansions. I propose that all Expansions receive direct support from the MC VP Local Committee Development, which means the total number of Expansions should not exceed ten. I do not believe it is sustainable to continue to open Expansions until we have sustainable Local Committees. However, I believe AIESEC US should have significantly more Local Committees by 2020 so I believe opening five new Expansions in the next MC term allows for new Expansions strategies to be implemented for learning and experience before a later MC term tackles significant Expansions growth.
PLAN AND DIRECTION
Putting yourself in the shoes of our customers in each program, what would you start/stop and continue to improve their experience?
Attraction Consideration Value Delivery Brand Advocacy
Team Members and Team Leaders
- Start attracting the right members with LDM based recruitment. - Start/Continue attracting members with specific job descriptions.
- Start introducing the idea of IXP in the consideration phase so all members are interested in exchange.
- Start holding teams accountable to team standards so every member has a quality experience.
- Start engaging alumni in the TMP/TLP experience to communicate the lifelong relevance of AIESEC.
Exchange Participants
- Start the shift to an open platform opportunities portal (payment on match only), to attract customers based on what we promise.
- Start introducing the idea of IXP in the consideration phase so all EPs are interested in membership. - Start leveraging a stronger digital presence to attract more EPs.
- Start LEAD co-delivery with entity partners to ensure quality exchanges. - Continue to provide International SOS coverage. - Continue to maintain contact with EPs while abroad.
- Start focused campaigns to recruit EPs into our LCs through IXP. - Start showcasing EP created content to communicate the customer-perceived value of exchange.
Traineeship Takers
- Continue communicating the value of an AIESEC trainee alongside the purpose of the J-1 visa program (for the Global Talent program).
- Stop agreeing to partnerships based on misaligned expectations about the purpose of an AIESEC exchange or the J-1 visa program.
- Start/Continue focusing on re-raising and up-scaling accounts.
- Start engaging our partners in different ways: conferences, employers branding, etc.
How would you like to see AIESEC in the US positioned externally by the end of your term? Provide a summary of strategies to achieve your goal. At the end of the 2016-2017 term I would like to see AIESEC in the United States known by our members. I do not believe that we need more than 1,500 Global Leaders in the next Member Committee term to achieve our exchange goals. While 1,500 may seem small, the right 1,500 members can change our organization from AIESEC in the Unites States to AIESEC for the Unites States. With a focus on team standards and LEAD implementation our members will develop into the leaders we promise they will become and they will stand out. Our participants - EPs and trainees – will credit their interaction with our members before, during, and after their exchange experiences as the differentiation in value delivery. They will want to join the organization after exchange so that by 2020 we have the option to source the majority of our membership directly as IXP from exchange. Our corporate and university partners will see us as partners, not just a sourcing agency. This happens when we learn to say no to partnerships not founded in purpose and to deliver exchange standards in every experience. When we see the worth in our products and we are willing to fail over compromising our standards we will succeed.
PLAN AND DIRECTION
Explain your initially proposed MC structure. Member Committee Sub-Teams: • Management Team: The Management Team will include the VPs of Finance, Digital Experience, Customer Experience, Operations and
Innovation, Global Leader, and Organizational Development. The VP Finance is accountable for the performance of the VP Business Development and the VP Operations is accountable for the performance of the four VPs of exchange programs.
• Operations Team: The VP Operations and Innovation is responsible for goal achievement of the program Vice Presidents. Member Committee Vice President Roles: • VP Organizational Development will be responsible for the development of all Local Committees. The VP OD will oversee Local
Committee capacity building by managing the Local Committee Development Team responsible for LCP coaching and the National Trainers Team responsible for all other local training.
• VP Customer Experience will be responsible for LEAD program development and implementation, customer experience management, and brand management.
• VP Digital Experience will be responsible for LEAD program digital development and implementation, digital customer experience management, and digital brand management.
• VP Finance is responsible for national and local financial sustainability, including conference management. • VP Business Development conducts multi-dimensional sales to support the MC budget and conference sustainability. • VP Operations and Innovation will be accountable for Local Committee goal achievement by overseeing the VPs of programs. The VP
Operations and Innovation will also be responsible for international relations and for piloting innovative exchange projects. • VP Outgoing Global Citizen, VP Outgoing Global Talent, VP Incoming Global Citizen, and VP Incoming Global Talent are
responsible for exchange standards, national growth, and local committee goal achievement in their respective exchange program. VP Global Leader will be responsible for the attraction, induction, and development of team members and team leaders in the Global Leader program.
MCP
Finance
Business Development
Customer Experience Digital Experience Operations &
Innovation
Outgoing GC
Incoming GC
Outgoing GT
Incoming GT
Global Leader
Organizational Development
PLAN AND DIRECTION
What kind of leadership does AIESEC US need in the 2016-2017? How would you describe your leadership styles and how will you use that to lead your team and AIESEC US in 2016-2017? I do not believe there is a single leadership style that AIESEC US needs in the 2016-2017. Instead, all I believe we need in the leadership of AIESEC United States in the 2016-2017 term is a commitment to become leaders that achieve. There are countless different leadership styles and their effectiveness is bound to a variety of factors from individual interactions to unique situations. However, if every single leader in AIESEC United States in 2016-2017 committed to the ideal of leadership through goal achievement, or ‘leaders that achieve.’ We would experience a cultural shift in the organization with the potential for dramatic results. We can push past fear and demand success from others and ourselves when we understand that leadership means creating an environment where individuals have the opportunity to actually experience the challenging experiences in practical environments AIESEC offers. Failure is acceptable and necessary but our organization needs leadership in 2016-2017 that is ready to face failure and demand we move past it. I view my own leadership style through the lens of the Social Styles Model, which explains how different styles of individuals interact with others, and through the lens of Situational Leadership, which emphasizes non-static leadership styles so you can be the leader your follower needs. Leadership comes to life in interactions between leaders and followers, so it is crucial to understand your natural style of interacting with others as well as frameworks for adapting when necessary. In social settings, such as when leading a team, I am responsive and controlled. I identify as an Analytic style in the Social Styles Model, meaning I tend to ask questions rather than assert my own opinion and control my emotions versus display them openly. Situational Leadership emphasizes being able to assess the willingness and ability of a team member to accomplish a task or fulfill a role and then adapting as a leader accordingly. I am by nature a supportive leader and I believe my nature supports the use of the Situational Leadership model because I constantly strive to create the environment my members need to succeed, whether it is education, a physical environment, or a team culture. As the leader of the MC team and the LCP class I would not want to be surrounded by leaders just like me – that goes against my preferences for the Social Styles Model and Situational Leader and different roles need different backgrounds and personalities. However, above all else, I am looking to build and lead a team based upon respect. If relationships are approached from a place of respect then compromise is welcomed, not resented, and failure is appreciated, not shameful. If elected MCP, I intend to create an environment where all are held to a high standard of respect in the MC team and between the MC and LCP class so that we can bring respect for ourselves and for our members to every level of the organization. Respect in the form of self-love has been one of the strong personal antidotes to my fearfulness in the face of uncertainty. I have a personality that tends toward anxiety and conflict aversion but when I learned to appreciate that I was only hurting myself by holding myself back I was able to open myself to failure. While it is a daily process, the journey to self-respect as well as respect for others is the promise I make to anyone I work with in this or the next MC term. From a place of respect we are able to deliver on the value we promise to our customers and grow our organization to fulfill its own potential.
PLAN AND DIRECTION
Blank Paper Challenge
Conference Cycle
It is time for our conference cycle to change. Our conferences should be amplifying our exchange results and supplementing the Global Leader experience.
RoKS: Our regional conferences are an important touch point with our plenary and we need to continue to expect these conferences to be more than
just new member induction. However, this fall, local exchange results did not increase dramatically after RoKS, meaning something in the expectations we set before or during the conference needs to change.
NPR: National Presidents’ retreat is a necessary touch point for the MC and the LCP class but it can be so much more. I propose that Executive Boards attend NPR, either in a large conference or in weekend-long summits run parallel by function. Spring NPR would allow us to kick off a large
summer peak and Fall NPR would allow for a more timely transition for incoming EBs. SNC: Although it is important to have a midterm conference, especially for LC Vice Presidents, SNC is currently only effective for the introduction of a new Member Committee team to the national plenary - exchange results do not increase immediately following SNC. We need to consider moving
the date of SNC or eliminating it in favor of Executive Boards at NPRs. WNC: WNC is important for the Executive Boards to kick off their terms but because of the time it occurs it is difficult to engage externals. However, I believe the benefits of WNC outweigh the difficulties and it is a conference that we should emphasize as the largest annual touch point between the
MC and the national plenary.
Some changes to the conference cycle might be made during the current MC term but it will require a collaboration between the current team and the elected MC team for the next MC term to implement the change.
Conference Sustainability
As long as our conferences remain internal touch points we will have no option other than to expect either our LC/MC budgets or our members’ personal finances to cover these expenses as an organizational investment. If we want our conferences to be sustainable they must engage externals
both as sponsors and as a conduit to our external relevance.
Significant improvements have been made during MC Rise’s term so far to improve conference financial sustainability but more must be done. I propose that a primary focus of the Vice President of Finance and the Vice President of Business Development on the next Member Committee team be conference sustainability management and education. The VP BD can support external relevance and partner engagement of the conferences and the VP FIN can oversee conference management, either by working with OCPs directly or by working with a national conference manager engaged to oversee conferences. Alongside the VP FIN, the VP BD will also be directly responsible for all Organizing Committee Vice Presidents of Sponsorships
for Regional and National conferences so a culture of financial sustainability becomes imbedded into the way we run our conferences.
We have only begun to scratch the surface on our ability to engage externals at our conferences. In addition to supporting the financial sustainability of a conference, externals have the ability to help us shape what we do around what the world needs by connecting us with thought leaders in
relevant fields, grow disruptively by aligning with organizations than can scale up our impact, and be accessible to everyone, everywhere by bringing ideas that can allow us to innovate our actions. I propose that the primary focus of the Vice President of Business Development in my proposed
Member Committee structure for the 2016-2017 term be to innovate the way we engage externals in our conferences and plan for the future with long term partner engagement.
How can we better leverage our physical touch points to achieve our organizational goals in 2016-2017?
11/20/2015
Dear AIESEC in the United States,
Working with Alex over these past few years has been an absolute pleasure. From joining together and attending our first Roks, to working on her executive board, to watching her excel in an MC VP position, I have seen nothing but passion for this organization. Through both my role as a VP and as an LCP, she has been a source of guidance, encouragement, wisdom, and friendship. I have seen her bring our local committee up from the ashes of disbandment to full membership status in less than a year, participate in CEEDerships for AI, go on exchange in Romania, and travel the country to coach and share her love for AIESEC’s mission. Having interacted with Alex in so many capacities – as a peer, leader, and mentor – I believe I can speak in full confidence to her outstanding qualifications and proudly endorse her for the role of Member Committee President of AIESEC in the United States for 2016-2017.
As Vice President of Business Development in 2013, she broke our local record for the number of meetings held with the incoming exchange team. The connections she made allowed us to raise and realize the two TNs we needed to obtain full membership in 2014 under her presidency. In that year, 2014, she took on a lot of risk as an LCP, only to see it pay off by bringing us from a disbanded LC to full member. She added new vice presidency positions, faced VP’s leaving the organization, VP’s fighting amongst themselves and causing drifts amongst the teams, but was able to keep everyone banded together and fighting for the same goal. It was an honor to work with her during this time and see her resilience, leadership, and passion shine through.
Alex has seen the organization from all levels by serving as a LCVP, LCP, CEEDer, EP, MCVP, facilitator, and coach. She also has a deep understanding of our national reality. She has taken diligent time to really understand the organization, what we stand for, where we’ve been, and where we can go. She values every aspect of this organization, and that shows through her vision. Through her experience, knowledge, and drive, I speak in full confidence and support that, as MCP, Alex will see AIESEC in the United States grow exponentially.
I truly believe that Alex’s qualifications and relentless drive for impact and growth of AIESEC make her the ideal candidate for MCP 2016-2017. If you have any questions on my endorsement of Alex Robinson, please feel free to contact me via my information below.
Sincerely,
Madison Jae Heginbotham
Local Committee President 2015 AIESEC in Chapel Hill, United States
[email protected] 1.252.562.2424
Medellin,Colombia,November29th2015
TothePlenaryofAIESECIntheUnitedStates
IwritethisendorsementforMs.AlexandraRobinsononherintentiontobecomethenextMemberCommitteePresidentforthe2016-2017inAIESECUnitedStates.
IfirstmetAlexinAIESECUSwhenshewasLCPofAIESECChapelHill,AlexwasthefirstLCPIinteractedwithinthenetwork,andIfoundinherabigownershipandcommitmentthatwasreflectedinherdaytodayactionsandinthewayshecaredandcontributedtothenationalplenary,ShewasoneofthemostactiveLCP’sandwasinvolvedindifferentrolessuchassteeringteam,oGIP/iGIP,andothercountlessactivities.
WithherroleasLCP,shewouldalwayssaywhensomethingwasworking,orwithsomethingwasn’t,andinthiscase,shewouldproposedifferentideasandsolutionstomakethingsbetter,andthisiswhyitwassoincredibletoworkwithher,shewouldn’tputherpersonalinterestoverothers,shewouldalwaysthinkaboutwhatisbestforAIESECUS.
Laterin2014,IhadthechancetobeAIESECChapelHill’sMCcoach,theLocalCommitteethatwasdisbandedinthepreviousterm,butforAlexandherteamthiswasn’tanexcusetomaketheLConeofthetopentitiesinAIESECUSagain,andwithherleadershipshewasabletobringtheLCbackontrackwheretheybecameapointofreferenceforOGXprogramsinthemostsustainablewaydespitethechallengestheLCwasfacing.
Inaddition,knowingthat2015wassuchakeyyearforthenetwork,AlexdedicatedthefirstsemesteroftheyeartocontributetotheexpansionandoGIPstrategyofthesemester,shewasabletocoachmorethan5LC’s,teachingandinspiring,anddrivingthemtosuccess,thedevelopmentandprogressIsawonthoseLC’swashappeningimmediatelyafterAlex’svisits,SheplayedakeyroleinmyMCVPtermin14-15,andIenjoyedeverymomentworkingwithher,IfoundinAlexaleader,anamazingcopartner,andsomeonethatalwayschallengedmetobebetterinmyrole,alwayslookingforwhatisbestforAIESECUS.
ItrulybelievethatshehastherightskillsandcompetenciestobethenextPresidentthatwilldrivethegrowthofgeneration16-17forAIESECUnitedStates.
Lastly,forallthereasonsmentionedabove,itiswithmyutmostsincerityandconfidence,IendorseAlexandraRobinsonforthepositionofMemberCommitteePresidentinAIESECUnitedStatesfor2016-2017.
Regards,
LauraDuquePerezMCVPoGIP2014-2015,[email protected]
Medellin,Colombia,November29th2015
TothePlenaryofAIESECIntheUnitedStates
IwritethisendorsementforMs.AlexandraRobinsononherintentiontobecomethenextMemberCommitteePresidentforthe2016-2017inAIESECUnitedStates.
IfirstmetAlexinAIESECUSwhenshewasLCPofAIESECChapelHill,AlexwasthefirstLCPIinteractedwithinthenetwork,andIfoundinherabigownershipandcommitmentthatwasreflectedinherdaytodayactionsandinthewayshecaredandcontributedtothenationalplenary,ShewasoneofthemostactiveLCP’sandwasinvolvedindifferentrolessuchassteeringteam,oGIP/iGIP,andothercountlessactivities.
WithherroleasLCP,shewouldalwayssaywhensomethingwasworking,orwithsomethingwasn’t,andinthiscase,shewouldproposedifferentideasandsolutionstomakethingsbetter,andthisiswhyitwassoincredibletoworkwithher,shewouldn’tputherpersonalinterestoverothers,shewouldalwaysthinkaboutwhatisbestforAIESECUS.
Laterin2014,IhadthechancetobeAIESECChapelHill’sMCcoach,theLocalCommitteethatwasdisbandedinthepreviousterm,butforAlexandherteamthiswasn’tanexcusetomaketheLConeofthetopentitiesinAIESECUSagain,andwithherleadershipshewasabletobringtheLCbackontrackwheretheybecameapointofreferenceforOGXprogramsinthemostsustainablewaydespitethechallengestheLCwasfacing.
Inaddition,knowingthat2015wassuchakeyyearforthenetwork,AlexdedicatedthefirstsemesteroftheyeartocontributetotheexpansionandoGIPstrategyofthesemester,shewasabletocoachmorethan5LC’s,teachingandinspiring,anddrivingthemtosuccess,thedevelopmentandprogressIsawonthoseLC’swashappeningimmediatelyafterAlex’svisits,SheplayedakeyroleinmyMCVPtermin14-15,andIenjoyedeverymomentworkingwithher,IfoundinAlexaleader,anamazingcopartner,andsomeonethatalwayschallengedmetobebetterinmyrole,alwayslookingforwhatisbestforAIESECUS.
ItrulybelievethatshehastherightskillsandcompetenciestobethenextPresidentthatwilldrivethegrowthofgeneration16-17forAIESECUnitedStates.
Lastly,forallthereasonsmentionedabove,itiswithmyutmostsincerityandconfidence,IendorseAlexandraRobinsonforthepositionofMemberCommitteePresidentinAIESECUnitedStatesfor2016-2017.
Regards,
LauraDuquePerezMCVPoGIP2014-2015,[email protected]
November 26, 2015 AIESEC in the United States Dear AIESEC Member: I am writing to endorse the candidacy of Ms. Alex Robinson for your position as Member Committee President of AIESEC in the United States. Please accept my strong endorsement of Alex’s capabilities and highest recommendation in support of her candidacy. I am a Professor of the Practice at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School as well as a full-time partner and practice leader at ScottMadden, a general management consulting firm. I teach a highly selective, applied leadership class at Kenan-Flagler, a top 10 U.S. undergraduate business school. Alex was my student during 2014–15. The design of the course is experiential. Students use their leadership roles to apply principles on the job with their peers. This calls for courage and authenticity. It creates a level of engagement not available when the homework is only papers and quizzes. The class sessions are small and discussion-based, so the course is intimate and revealing. I provide one-on-one personal coaching to every student. I get to know the students very well, both as their professor and on a personal basis. Because students are required to practice leadership on the job and articulate aspirational personal development goals, the course gives me a lens into their character and capabilities that is not usually afforded to undergraduate professors. It is in that capacity, and based on that experience with Alex as a top student in my course, that I write this letter of endorsement. Alex is constantly striving to improve her organization and her capabilities as a leader. As Vice President of Business Development and then as President of AIESEC, her results were very strong. In her business development role, she increased sales meetings by more than fivefold, bringing four interns to North Carolina. As President, when she was in our class, she doubled the number of exchanges. She also achieved full membership status, your top tier, which had not been done at UNC in the decade since the Local Committee was founded. Alex is inquisitive, deliberate, and analytical. Her critical thinking skills are outstanding. At the same time, she has very strong interpersonal and organizational development skills. She is the kind of leader who is always focused on how she can engage and develop her team. She is team-focused and unselfish, not self-focused. As an example of this, a number of the people on her team when she was Vice President served on the Executive Board when she was President. During the course, she set and achieved a number of important objectives for AIESEC. She also set personal development goals and did a great job on self-development. I have been in touch with her since the course ended, and she continues to set aspirational goals for herself and her organization, learn and apply new leadership frameworks, and be the kind of leader that is a credit to any organization.
AIESEC in the United States November 26, 2015 Page 2
I hope you will select her as your Member Committee President. Sincerely,
Stuart M. Pearman Partner and Energy Practice Leader – ScottMadden, Inc. Professor of the Practice – UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School
EDUCATION University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies | Second Major in Public Policy | December 2014 | GPA: 3.2 • Global Studies area and theme concentrations in African Studies and Global Health & Environment. • Public Policy field concentration in Global & US Health Policy. AWARDS Office of Undergraduate Research Travel Grant, Fall 2014 Awarded to present a coauthored paper, Organ Donation: An Argument for Mandated Choice, with Dr. Douglas MacKay at the Atlantic Regional Philosophers’ Association 2014 Annual Meeting Duncan MaCrae Jr. Public Policy Mentored Research Assistant Grant, Spring 2014 Awarded to complete a coauthored paper, Organ Donation: An Argument for Mandated Choice, with Dr. Douglas MacKay EXPERIENCE AIESEC United States (New York, NY) Vice President of University Relations, July 2015 – present • Oversee the foundation and development of sixteen university-based local chapters of AIESEC United States. • Responsible for the creation and management of relationships with universities to promote AIESEC's international exchange opportunities to
students and recent graduates. Azimut Happy Employees (Cluj-Napoca, Romania) Strategic Partnerships Intern, April 2015 – May 2015 • Conducted market research to support the development of university partnerships. • Supported product development with research to evolve product offerings to different stakeholders. • Supplemented marketing initiatives with creation of marketing materials for product promotion. AIESEC Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC) Local Committee President, January 2014 – December 2014 • Led an executive board team of eight to generate and deliver quality leadership development and international exchange experiences for university
students and recent graduates. • Managed recruitment, screening, initial training, and onboarding of new members into organization. • Increased total international exchange results by 127% from previous year. • Responsibilities included sales, management, training, coaching, public speaking, professional communication, and representation of AIESEC with
key stakeholders. Vice President of Business Development, January 2013 – December 2013 • Managed sales training and coaching of 19 new members to place international talent in local companies. • Increased team sales activity by 546% from previous year. • Secured contracts with three new partners to fill four international internship positions. Nourish International National Office (Carrboro, NC) Operational Support Intern, September 2012 – February 2013 • Managed data collection and entry using Salesforce for alumni engagement initiatives. • Conducted benchmarking of peer organizations. • Assisted Chief Operation Officer with general operational duties.
ALEXANDRA ROBINSON
