I figured that this will be a good platform for me spread around the amazing speech that i just saw... or hear rather. There's really not much to say since i'm still trying to digest it -- but i'll just let the speech do the talking.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Lessons Learned From The Summit
By Sridutt "Sri" Nimmagadda
Well, it's been a little over a week since we all returned from the Leadership conference in Washington D.C. and it seems that we've all more or less adjusted back to the humdrum of our daily work. Reflecting on one's experience at a life-changing event is a task that is not to be taken lightly. So I decided to wait a week, catch up on sleep, finish Breaking Bad on Netflix, watch paint dry, and then start on reflecting on the Student Leadership lessons. Given that you all probably have non-profits to start or diseases to find cures for or Ivy League schools to get into, I wanted to keep my reflections as short and meaningful as possible.
So here it is. My Lessons Learned From the Summit:
*drumroll*
- All the talk and holding hands and rhetoric about bearing positive change in the world is great, but nothing feels quite as good as actually doing and making a positive change in the world. That's why the Service Day at the Capitol Area Food Back was by far my favorite experience of the entire internship. While the execution of our service seemed mechanical due to our efficiency, our motivation was anything but. For three hours, packing the bags and effectively serving our community were the only things we cared about. Our common goal and shared vision made us work efficiently as a system.
- There are people way smarter and more driven than you even within the microcosm of the Student Leaders program. There are people who think that you are way smarter and more driven than them. There are people who have both of those sentiments. But the central issue is not whether someone is smarter or more successful than anyone else. We, as Student Leaders, have a vision for a better world that we want to create in the future and we manifested it in different ways through our volunteer experience and non-profit work. The warrant behind a world being peaceful or economically stable is that all factors and elements within our system are working together cohesively. If we apply that same principle towards our service, then we realize why buzzwords like "diversity" and "teamwork" are actually really important in a non-profit or even business setting. We have to work together, not apart.
- Nobody really knows what the Technology Student Association (TSA) is. This is a problem. It's okay; I will proselytize you all to join [or start a chapter of] TSA over time!
- Community service or working to serve the greater good should never, ever be a political issue. I'm conservative, you're liberal. I may be a Republican, you may be a Democrat. We may have deep, fundamentally different opinions on social, economic, and political issues. But what brings us together? Our focus on the lowest common denominator: humanity.
- The richest man in the world is not the man with the most, but the man who needs the least. At the very least, we are all so emotionally rich that we invest so much more into our communities selflessly than most others do. It is why you're a Student Leader. The leaders of today trust us to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Now don't those lessons just make you want to smile? Give yourself a pat on the back? Feel warm and fuzzy inside?
Good. But don't feel complacent for too long. We've got a world to change. Let's go do it Student Leaders.
Monday, July 22, 2013
My First Week of Work!
Having now been removed from the
2013 Bank of America Student Leaders Conference in Washington for a bit over a
week, and having spent some time back in the “real world” of computer screens
and cubicles, I feel that now is an appropriate time to reflect on my
experiences both at work and at the conference.
First, though, let me introduce myself.
My name is Christopher Ackerman and I have been a resident of a small
suburb of Boston, Massachusetts for my entire life. In the fall, I will be attending Boston
College with the intent of majoring in Biology.
During high school, I involved myself in myriad volunteer opportunities,
ranging from weekly appearances as an educator at the Museum of Science in
Boston, to helping organize a three-day leadership conference with the
Massachusetts Youth Leadership Foundation.
This summer, I am working at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, serving
in three distinct roles: on Mondays and Tuesdays, I am at the main office in
downtown Boston, helping out the development team; Wednesdays and Thursdays are
spent at the Charlestown Boys and Girls Club (BGCB has eleven) doing more
office work; and Fridays I spend at the same club, but I interact directly with
the members. Phew, what a mouthful! Anyway, let me begin with my first week of
work.
After a brief meet-and-greet with
my fellow Bank of America Student Leaders from Boston and our employers, I
spent a month and a half waiting to start work.
My supervisor/director/boss, Katie Dunphy, emailed me a few weeks before
I started work to let me know where and when to show up for my first day. And so, on the first day of July, I sprang
out of bed bright and early and managed to make it to work on time. Granted, this feat is not nearly so laudable when
paired with the knowledge that my day began at 10:30 in a coffee shop. Joelle, another Student Leader working at
BGCB, and I met with our supervisors, Katie and Liz, to go over our work for
the summer. We had an informal meeting
over breakfast and spent the rest of the day in a much more formal new-hire
orientation. I left with an
understanding, albeit a modest one, of BGCB’s organization and mission. Tuesday, much like its predecessor, began
with an eager Chris bounding out of bed, rushing to the train station, and
showing up at work on time: no breakfast today, though; I arrived at my
building promptly at 8:15, only to realize that I had forgotten my keys. The next half hour was spent sitting outside
dejectedly while I waited for a fellow employee to show up and let me in. Quarter of nine, time to start work! Except that Katie had told me to show up at
ten, and apparently being over an hour early meant I got to spend time catching
up on my reading. As ten rolled around,
I began my first “real” day of work. Ms.
Dunphy had me modify some thank-you letters, and I was able to speak to Ryan
about the grant-writing process and how to create a grant report. My modest understanding of the organization
was growing, and with it a sense of purpose and value for my work.
Wednesday was my first day out of
the office. I showed up at the
Charlestown Boys and Girls Club at ten, drenched in sweat and ready to start my
day. Mr. Nash, the executive director at
Charlestown, kindly gave me a tour and outlined some of the projects he had for
me for the summer. I spent the day
creating a master schedule for the club (it is divided into two sections: one
for the younger group and the other for teens) and reviewing the Parents
Handbook. Even though the club was
nearly empty, it was interesting to see concrete evidence of the development
team’s efforts. Many of the rooms I saw
had plaques on them. I am sure that many
of you have seen plaques in buildings before, plaques commemorating the
generous donations by so-and-so corporation, etc. For the first time, though, I had a greater
appreciation for these small symbols of philanthropy. They represented more than just words on a
wall; these plaques were the results of hard work on the part of Katie and the
rest of the development team to make it possible for BGCB to serve the
community. And, for the first time, I
understood that philanthropy is more than just the act of writing a check; by
writing a check, the BGCB donors created a music room where members of the
Charlestown Club produced their own record and a games room where children
played four-square and billiards, ran around with Frisbees, and caused a
ruckus. More than just a place for fun
and games, though, the Charlestown Club represented a safe haven for these
kids, many of whom came from disadvantaged neighborhoods around the city and
only got opportunities to produce music, or play pool because of BGCB.
Friday was my first day with club
members, and despite my different assignment, it had a very similar impact on
me as Wednesday. I was able to speak to
some of the members who were there and play games with them. In the morning, I watched as one of the
youngest kids (I can’t remember if he was five or six) played four-square with
the pre-teens and repeatedly got himself out.
Instead of laughing or being mean to him, the older members pretended
not to notice and let him play on, an act of kindness rewarded by smiles from
the young boy. Before my time with the
Boys and Girls Club, I worked at a different summer camp. Our mornings were typically punctuated by
impatient screams while children waited to play board games, or emphatic
exclamations about how, “[Insert-name-here] is cheating!” and, “It’s not
fair!” I saw, for the first time, how a
melting pot of club members from different social, racial, economic, and
generational (BGCB employs older members of the club as staff for the summer
programs) backgrounds were able to come together and coexist not only in peace,
but in prosperity. I had anticipated
fighting and screaming, but I was met with obedience and appreciation. These kids, many of whom were
underprivileged, were kind, courteous, and helpful. Whenever I became hopelessly lost, they would
point me in the right direction. The
other staff were patient and helped out when I was confused about the goings-on
of the clubs. At the end of the day (my
first full shift), I was tired and, again, sweaty, but at the same time
energized and enthusiastic about my work.
When first informed about the
different roles I would have at work, I was both apprehensive and
apprehensive. No, that is not a typo;
the thought of working with children and bouncing around from desk-jockey to
counselor scared me senseless. I was
positively terrified that I would be so busy trying to figure out where I fit
in that I would fail miserably at all of my different tasks. In retrospect, though, I should have been
apprehensive and excited. Experiencing
different parts of the organization allowed me to truly understand and value
its contribution to the members at all levels.
Without seeing the facilities that the development team helps to fund,
the donations that show up in our daily check logs would just be numbers on a
page. On the other hand, without knowing
how hard it is to raise money and fund the programs offered by clubs, it would
be easy to under-appreciate the work done by BGCB. Last year, we served over 15,000 of Boston’s
youth. I was warned about misquoting the
following statistic, so take it with a grain of salt, but I was told at
orientation that 40% of crimes involving a gun in Boston occurred within a mile
of a Boys and Girls Club. Despite the
veracity of that statistic (not that it isn’t true, but the actual number may
be off), the sentiment remains: BGCB is dedicated to serving members of the
community who are most at-risk and establishes clubs in neighborhoods where
violent crime is a serious issue. That
being said, working with the kids on Friday allowed me to gain an appreciation
for the “why” behind the rest of my work.
Fundraising is great, but it can be hard to appreciate the donations for
their impact on the community. Seeing
club members in a warm, welcoming, safe environment made the rest of my job
“click”. Suddenly, time spent staring at
a computer screen felt connected and purposeful. When I was younger, my parents sent me off to
summer camp or hired a nanny as they saw fit, but this is not an option for
everybody. Seeing these children experiencing
an awesome program funded primarily through philanthropy made me understand why
it is important for everyone to get involved.
Philanthropy became more than just a social obligation; while I had
volunteered before for school, experience, or because my friends goaded me into
it, I now understood that non-profits exist to serve communities that can
benefit from their presence, not just because somebody created them on a whim.
The Internship
The internship assigned to each student is an integral part of the Student Leader Experience.
Students will work with a nonprofit employeer for 7 weeks, getting paid by Bank of America. In my particular region, the pay is $10 per hour, which is above the minimum wage by quite a bit. However, in other markets, where, locally, the minimum wage is $14.50, Bank of America paid Student Leaders $14.50 an hour.
Students work with their nonprofit for 35 hours a week. Students are also paid during the week that they go to Washington DC, for a 35 hour week.
Internships vary by markets.
Some Student Leaders I spoke with, all worked at the same nonprofit with other Leaders from their market.
However, in my market, each student has an individual nonprofit employeer.
My particular internship was perfect for me! I work at Ranken Jordan, a pediatric specialty hospital for medically challenged kids. It's a very positive enviorment that gives me a first hand look into the inter-workings of a business.
Other students in my market report that they're also very happy with their internships. Each student is placed at a nonprofit that fits their interests.
When speaking with other Student Leaders from around the country, I noticed that three of the most common nonprofits that students tended to intern with were YMCA, YWCA and The Boys and Girls Club.
However, there were several other nonprofits in the mix, both local and national organizations, like United Way, The International Institute and so forth.
One of the best parts about being selected as a Student Leader is the work experience you'll gain during your internship. It's absolutely essential to students who are considering various career paths or planning to apply for jobs in the future.
As my internship is coming to a close, I know that I will miss all the wonderful and helpful people I have encountered along the way. I'm extremely grateful to Bank of America for giving me this amazing experience and to my nonprofit host, Ranken Jordan, for making sure I had a great learning experience ans an intern. I know I'll definitely be returning to Ranken Jordan as a volunteer! :)
Students will work with a nonprofit employeer for 7 weeks, getting paid by Bank of America. In my particular region, the pay is $10 per hour, which is above the minimum wage by quite a bit. However, in other markets, where, locally, the minimum wage is $14.50, Bank of America paid Student Leaders $14.50 an hour.
Students work with their nonprofit for 35 hours a week. Students are also paid during the week that they go to Washington DC, for a 35 hour week.
Internships vary by markets.
Some Student Leaders I spoke with, all worked at the same nonprofit with other Leaders from their market.
However, in my market, each student has an individual nonprofit employeer.
My particular internship was perfect for me! I work at Ranken Jordan, a pediatric specialty hospital for medically challenged kids. It's a very positive enviorment that gives me a first hand look into the inter-workings of a business.
Other students in my market report that they're also very happy with their internships. Each student is placed at a nonprofit that fits their interests.
When speaking with other Student Leaders from around the country, I noticed that three of the most common nonprofits that students tended to intern with were YMCA, YWCA and The Boys and Girls Club.
However, there were several other nonprofits in the mix, both local and national organizations, like United Way, The International Institute and so forth.
One of the best parts about being selected as a Student Leader is the work experience you'll gain during your internship. It's absolutely essential to students who are considering various career paths or planning to apply for jobs in the future.
As my internship is coming to a close, I know that I will miss all the wonderful and helpful people I have encountered along the way. I'm extremely grateful to Bank of America for giving me this amazing experience and to my nonprofit host, Ranken Jordan, for making sure I had a great learning experience ans an intern. I know I'll definitely be returning to Ranken Jordan as a volunteer! :)
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
What To Expect From Summit Week
Oh, Summit Week, where do I begin?
First off, you'll make new friends. TONS of new friends. And you'll be depressed at the end of the week because you miss all your new friends so much. Trust me!
I'm not an overly social person, (actually, I'm the kid who eats lunch in the library because I'm too shy to eat with the other kids) but I made more friends than I can count!! We shared inside jokes, TONS of laughter, and by the end of the week I had totally lost my shyness. The Summit Week is an amazing, enthusiastic week that will keep you on your feet and it's totally impossible not to fall in love with all the people around you who are so pumped up about life and changing society for the better.
So, I'm warning you, you'll make TONS of friends during Summit Week.
You'll also discover new things about yourself, new ways of improving your leadership skills and how to make a difference in your community.
You'll meet lots of inspirational people. During my summit week, I had the honor of meeting one of my personal heros, famed Pulitzer-prize winning photographer David Kennerly. For me, this was monumental, since my main hobby is shooting & developing old black and white 35mm film. Getting the chance to hear, speak with and hang out with such an iconic photographer was a dream come true for me.
We also met a lot of big names in the nonprofit industry, and the likes of Barbra Bush (daughter to George W. Bush.)
We had seminars to improve ourselves, seminars about how to improve our communities seminars about how to improve America, and seminars on how to improve international affairs.
You'll get several opportunties to tour DC, and plenty of time to visit almost any museum you'd like.
Mock Congress was my FAVORITE part!! :) We got to role play and experience first-hand what it's like to be a congress-person. We did this the night before meeting our real-life representatives in Congress.
Being so close to government was really amazing!! It's definitely not something I'm ever going to forget.
During Summit Week, you have a close-knit group of people, about 25, called your "workshop." This workshop becomes your Student Leader family. I'm alot closer to some of the people in my workshop family than I am to people in my own school. We laughed, we cried, we shared our deepest secrets, fears and hopes.
You'll be tired after Summit Week and don't expect to have tons of free time. You have about an hour of free time every night, but you won't want to go to sleep. Every single night, I went down to the Student Lounge & played board games with some other Student Leaders and it was SO much fun.
At the end of Summit Week there's a big dinner and a dance. You'll party it out and probably cry a little and hug a lot. After all, it's your last night.
One thing I can promise you is that you'll leave Summit Week with a LOT more people in your phone contacts. The biggest part of Summit Week is the networking factor. You'll want to stay in touch with all your new friends.
Oh, and don't worry, the food is incredible. Literally, you have enough to feed a small army, some of the BEST desserts I've ever tasted and enough variety for all religions/creeds/tastes/lifestyles.
You won't go hungry, they feed you five times a day. Oh, and there's a constant suppy of FREE caffiene, if you're worried about that.
No, you won't be able to use the pool, but during my summit week, you were allowed to workout in a group & go to the park in the morning if you so chose.
Summit Week is all about Serve, Inspire, & Change. Thanks to Bank of America, those words will forever be engraved on my heart. <3
-Mary Di Valerio
First off, you'll make new friends. TONS of new friends. And you'll be depressed at the end of the week because you miss all your new friends so much. Trust me!
I'm not an overly social person, (actually, I'm the kid who eats lunch in the library because I'm too shy to eat with the other kids) but I made more friends than I can count!! We shared inside jokes, TONS of laughter, and by the end of the week I had totally lost my shyness. The Summit Week is an amazing, enthusiastic week that will keep you on your feet and it's totally impossible not to fall in love with all the people around you who are so pumped up about life and changing society for the better.
So, I'm warning you, you'll make TONS of friends during Summit Week.
You'll also discover new things about yourself, new ways of improving your leadership skills and how to make a difference in your community.
You'll meet lots of inspirational people. During my summit week, I had the honor of meeting one of my personal heros, famed Pulitzer-prize winning photographer David Kennerly. For me, this was monumental, since my main hobby is shooting & developing old black and white 35mm film. Getting the chance to hear, speak with and hang out with such an iconic photographer was a dream come true for me.
We also met a lot of big names in the nonprofit industry, and the likes of Barbra Bush (daughter to George W. Bush.)
We had seminars to improve ourselves, seminars about how to improve our communities seminars about how to improve America, and seminars on how to improve international affairs.
You'll get several opportunties to tour DC, and plenty of time to visit almost any museum you'd like.
Mock Congress was my FAVORITE part!! :) We got to role play and experience first-hand what it's like to be a congress-person. We did this the night before meeting our real-life representatives in Congress.
Being so close to government was really amazing!! It's definitely not something I'm ever going to forget.
During Summit Week, you have a close-knit group of people, about 25, called your "workshop." This workshop becomes your Student Leader family. I'm alot closer to some of the people in my workshop family than I am to people in my own school. We laughed, we cried, we shared our deepest secrets, fears and hopes.
You'll be tired after Summit Week and don't expect to have tons of free time. You have about an hour of free time every night, but you won't want to go to sleep. Every single night, I went down to the Student Lounge & played board games with some other Student Leaders and it was SO much fun.
At the end of Summit Week there's a big dinner and a dance. You'll party it out and probably cry a little and hug a lot. After all, it's your last night.
One thing I can promise you is that you'll leave Summit Week with a LOT more people in your phone contacts. The biggest part of Summit Week is the networking factor. You'll want to stay in touch with all your new friends.
Oh, and don't worry, the food is incredible. Literally, you have enough to feed a small army, some of the BEST desserts I've ever tasted and enough variety for all religions/creeds/tastes/lifestyles.
You won't go hungry, they feed you five times a day. Oh, and there's a constant suppy of FREE caffiene, if you're worried about that.
No, you won't be able to use the pool, but during my summit week, you were allowed to workout in a group & go to the park in the morning if you so chose.
Summit Week is all about Serve, Inspire, & Change. Thanks to Bank of America, those words will forever be engraved on my heart. <3
-Mary Di Valerio
Dear Future Student Leaders Applicants
Dear Future Student Leader,
You're brave. You're lucky. And you might just be worth a million bucks.
Did you know that Bank of America spends over a million dollars on it's Student Leader program each year?
If they're willing to drop one million dollars on you, that means they must think you're pretty great.
To those of you applying, I have a few tips:
1) Be true to yourself! As my good friend Ibriham said on this blog a few post ago, "Make your application a clone of yourself." Be sincere! Bank of America is trying to find people who are geninue and real.
2) Edit! Make sure you're not writing your application in "text-speak." I student-aid occasionally, and you'd be suprised how many students slip up in a major paper with phrases like "LOL and BTW."
3) Don't be too stuffy! While you DO have to edit, again, make sure that you're speaking in your own voice. Smiley faces are okay! :) My application was filled with them.
4) Make sure to include all your volunteer hours. Volunteering is a big part of getting selected. Make sure you remember to include instances you've volunteered at your church, your school, even just helping your elderly neighbor rake! Every little bit makes a difference.
5) Explain how your work in the community has impacted YOU! Don't just give a laundry list of "I did this. I did that." Tell Bank of America how volunteering & community service made you FEEL. Tell them how it affected you. They care about YOU, and YOUR potential as a leader, not nessesarily the exact times and dates that you worked at church camp.
6) Use your words wisely, but don't cut your application short. When I applied, there was a word limit. I tried to utilze that word limit to the best of my ability and make sure I gave a full and accurate picture of who I was to the reader.
7) Cross your fingers and hope for the best. The Student Leader program is extremely competetive! Don't feel bad if you're rejected. If you can, try again next year! There's only so many spots and it's probably extremely difficult to chose from so many stellar applications.
The first step to being a Bank of America Student Leader is applying. Good luck, and may the odds be EVER in your favor. :)
-Mary Di Valerio
Student Leader 2013
You're brave. You're lucky. And you might just be worth a million bucks.
Did you know that Bank of America spends over a million dollars on it's Student Leader program each year?
If they're willing to drop one million dollars on you, that means they must think you're pretty great.
To those of you applying, I have a few tips:
1) Be true to yourself! As my good friend Ibriham said on this blog a few post ago, "Make your application a clone of yourself." Be sincere! Bank of America is trying to find people who are geninue and real.
2) Edit! Make sure you're not writing your application in "text-speak." I student-aid occasionally, and you'd be suprised how many students slip up in a major paper with phrases like "LOL and BTW."
3) Don't be too stuffy! While you DO have to edit, again, make sure that you're speaking in your own voice. Smiley faces are okay! :) My application was filled with them.
4) Make sure to include all your volunteer hours. Volunteering is a big part of getting selected. Make sure you remember to include instances you've volunteered at your church, your school, even just helping your elderly neighbor rake! Every little bit makes a difference.
5) Explain how your work in the community has impacted YOU! Don't just give a laundry list of "I did this. I did that." Tell Bank of America how volunteering & community service made you FEEL. Tell them how it affected you. They care about YOU, and YOUR potential as a leader, not nessesarily the exact times and dates that you worked at church camp.
6) Use your words wisely, but don't cut your application short. When I applied, there was a word limit. I tried to utilze that word limit to the best of my ability and make sure I gave a full and accurate picture of who I was to the reader.
7) Cross your fingers and hope for the best. The Student Leader program is extremely competetive! Don't feel bad if you're rejected. If you can, try again next year! There's only so many spots and it's probably extremely difficult to chose from so many stellar applications.
The first step to being a Bank of America Student Leader is applying. Good luck, and may the odds be EVER in your favor. :)
-Mary Di Valerio
Student Leader 2013
Monday, July 15, 2013
A Life-Changing Experience
Sitting on my bed this Monday night all I can think of is that just a week ago I was finishing up the first day of one of the most exciting weeks. A week where I would meet a group of the most ambitious students ever and along with them grow as a person. A week like Izzy Vasquez said where I would go from wondering "who am I?" to knowing that "this is who I am".
It was a jam-packed week where I'm pretty sure nobody got enough sleep, but in the end it was a week worth the effort. From seeing the sights of Washington D.C. and learning about the figures that shaped the free world we live in today, speaking with local senators and representatives, and volunteering our time at the Capitol Area food bank we were constantly learning, growing and bonding.
What really made the week special though was the connections we made. With 219 other student leader's with very similar goals and life ambitions as you, coming together, wanting to make a difference it is a great opportunity to make lifelong friends and connections. We got to truly learn from each other, whether it be through workshops or our "down-time" during bus rides, everyone had something to say or a story to share. I remember writing on my application that, "I hoped to meet people that shared the same passion and drive that I do, but more importantly, people that work harder than me and people who inspire me to work harder for a cause," and those are exactly the people I came across and befriended at the summit.
This is the very reason why I find that my experience was life-changing, for after all you learn more from your peers than anyone else, and these peers are ones that WILL make a difference. They are the true embodiment of the three words SERVE. INSPIRE. CHANGE. and for that they are student leaders.
~Dhruti Tummalapalli (Sacramento)
It was a jam-packed week where I'm pretty sure nobody got enough sleep, but in the end it was a week worth the effort. From seeing the sights of Washington D.C. and learning about the figures that shaped the free world we live in today, speaking with local senators and representatives, and volunteering our time at the Capitol Area food bank we were constantly learning, growing and bonding.
What really made the week special though was the connections we made. With 219 other student leader's with very similar goals and life ambitions as you, coming together, wanting to make a difference it is a great opportunity to make lifelong friends and connections. We got to truly learn from each other, whether it be through workshops or our "down-time" during bus rides, everyone had something to say or a story to share. I remember writing on my application that, "I hoped to meet people that shared the same passion and drive that I do, but more importantly, people that work harder than me and people who inspire me to work harder for a cause," and those are exactly the people I came across and befriended at the summit.
This is the very reason why I find that my experience was life-changing, for after all you learn more from your peers than anyone else, and these peers are ones that WILL make a difference. They are the true embodiment of the three words SERVE. INSPIRE. CHANGE. and for that they are student leaders.
~Dhruti Tummalapalli (Sacramento)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)