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What attributes are present in a good leader? Compassion? Resilience? A strong work ethic? Leadership is tricky to master! Ivey allows students to develop their leadership capabilities through the LEADER Project: a student-driven, overseas initiative, that empowers students to give back and expand their horizons by teaching foundational business and entrepreneurship skills. By applying the Ivey case study method to real life scenarios, students help aspiring entrepreneurs launch and scale their ventures through 1:1 coaching and teaching.
This year, the LEADER Project aims to return to all their sites for the first time since 2019! Additionally, they hope to develop the list of countries they are involved with, so it is safe to say that there are plenty of new and exciting places to be discovered in LEADER’s future. As an individual LEADERite, you will be challenged to work on committees, such as Logistics, Fundraising and Engagement, Marketing and Communications, Curriculum, and Impact, throughout the entire year. Once you have sufficient preparation, you and your site team will travel for two weeks in the spring to one of the sites in Serbia, North Macedonia, India, Nepal, or Vietnam.
Sitting down with Alina Ramji, an executive director of the project, she claimed her reason for getting involved was the LEADER Project’s mission for economic development. It provided her with an opportunity to connect with likeminded peers in various Ivey programs – most notably allowing her to network with MBA students alike. Additionally, the LEADER Project is an adventure! It provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to apply your knowledge in a cultural exchange setting. She was excited to learn from the entrepreneurs overseas, whom she believed would teach her much more than she would ever teach them. Alina advocates that, “When I taught virtually to a group of Nepalese entrepreneurs, I learned so much about their day-to-day lives and country’s business landscape that I could never have otherwise learned.”
The LEADER project is also an incredible way to meet new people at Ivey and develop close bonds. As a member of the LEADER Project, you will get the opportunity to connect with engaged alumni, as the advisory board is made up of former LEADERites. You will also have access to monthly meetings, in order to learn more about operations and get guidance for the strategic direction of the project.
So how would Alina suggest for you to get involved? “Come chat with us when you start at Ivey!” she says. The executives will be at Clubs Week in September, waiting to chat with you about the experiences they have had and to gush about their travel stories. Make sure to stop by to get some help in finding the right place for you on the project!