The MBADiversity Organization::Blog

I know you’ll are all excited to know more about GIM and doing well J. So what is GIM, how do I get enrolled in it, where will be go for GIM2010. I know you’ll have lot of questions, and trust me I was in the same boat few months back. So here are some helpful information on GIM and more to come.

What is GIM program? -The MBADiversity Global Immersion Module (GIM) is an international program that fosters global awareness. The program allows pre-MBA, current MBA, and alumni MBA students to develop confidence in using their degrees to positively impact education, the marketplace and the global community at large

What will GIM do for you in addition to the wonderful international experience? – It will fortify your pre-graduate and professional experience. For current and alumni MBAs, GIM will strengthen your leadership, service and global awareness acumen.

Each GIM participant will complete a community service project as it will be another way for participants to impact the people of Shanghai and China. For the 2010 GIM community service project, we will positively impact the children of migrant workers through improving their English language abilities and tutoring them to pass their middle school entrance examinations.

How long is the trip and where are we going for GIM2010? - Those selected to participate in GIM will travel to SHANGHAI – A Citadel of China for 10 days and participate in an international internship opportunity, community service and cross-cultural fellowship.

What are the fields that I will have the opportunity to intern in? – . GIM participants will have the opportunity to intern in one of the following functional areas: IT, Management, Marketing, Business Development, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Microfinance, or Media/Entertainment

What is the selection process? – To be considered for GIM 2010, applications are due according to the following deadlines:

• Rolling, Early Decision: submit by March 1st 2010
• Rolling, Regular Decision: submit by April 1st 2010
• Final Deadline (if space is available): submit by May 1st 2010

You will receive notification of your status within 30 days after your application submission and interview (www.mbadiversity.org/application).

What are you waiting for, Invest in your Global Acumen NOW and be part of this rewarding experience!!!!

Have more questions, post your response on this blog and we will respond to it promptly

Hope you all are enjoying reading the GIM posts and are getting excited to be part of GIM 2010. So to help you get further motivated and excited we caught up with Hana Yang and Soyini Taylor — MBADiversity Fellows who participated in the GIM 2008 trip to Shanghai — for a Q & A to see what they are doing now and how they were able to leverage their GIM experience.

The following is an excerpt of our Q&A with Hana and Soyini about GIM 2008.

Q: What did you do during your GIM internship?

A: Soyini: My internship was at Sino Automotive Engineering out in Pudong (in Shanghai). Our goal was to come up with a set price Sino could charge clients that would cover all of Sino’s costs including sunk costs and any other unforeseeable costs to enable them to break even and/or make a profit if possible.

A: Hana: My internship was focused on marketing strategy for Alaska Cap Glacier Water – China expansion.

Q: What were the most challenging and fun parts of the internship?

A: Soyini: The most challenging part of my internship was translating what my internship partner and I knew about setting U.S. price and profit margins to standards of practice in China. I think those that attend GIM 2010 will definitely benefit from the time to research their projects while in the U.S. to give them a headstart on their projects once they land in Shanghai. The most fun part was the commute to work. The train ride every day from the Jing’an district to Pudong was a half hour each way, which was plenty of time for us to see what the commute is like everyday in Shanghai. After that we’d take a shuttle bus to our work complex. The train ride in itself was the highlight of our day. Rush hour in Shanghai is no joke! Being from NYC, I thought NYC’s rush hour was crazy but I have never seen as many people pack themselves onto a train or bus in NYC as I’ve seen in Shanghai. Also, it was great to experience new types of food and tour Shanghai with the group.

A: Hana: Not knowing Mandarin was a challenge, but very fun at times because my partners and I would combine the limited Mandarin we knew to make out a sentence at a store or to cab driver.

Q: What was the most rewarding part of the trip for you?

A: Soyini: The most rewarding part of the trip was serving as Director of GIM 2008, seeing the trip actually happen and the impact it had on the group that attended GIM 2008. I can actually say that I saw the trip go from an idea K.D. had and I was able to bring that idea to life not only as a GIM design team member but also as director of GIM 2008. Also, through one of the networking/CEO speech events during GIM 2008, I met my current boss who I work for now in Shanghai. Even though I have been back and forth to China since 2002. GIM 2008 gave me the opportunity to work as a consultant in Shanghai, something I thought was virtually impossible in 2002, given my Mandarin ability at that time.

A: Hana: I enjoyed spending quality time with GIM members, getting to know Shanghai and expats doing business in Shanghai.

Q: What are the biggest lessons that you learned from the international experience?

A: Soyini: The lessons are lessons that I am still learning everyday living in Shanghai. I can say that living in Shanghai for the past year or so has taught me not to sweat the small stuff, nothing ever turns out as planned so be grateful for what you do get at the end of the day and if you are ready to put in hard work and grit you can definitely make something of yourself in Shanghai. I am definitely a firm believer that if you can make it in Shanghai, you can definitely make it anywhere.

A: Hana: Think globally and locally, act locally.

Q: How did you use this experience towards your career and/or graduate studies?

A: Soyini: GIM 2008 is the reason that I am working in Shanghai right now. I met my current boss at a networking/speech event during GIM 2008. I kept in touch with him after GIM 2008 and came back a month or so later to work full time at his company in November 2008. I’ve been working at the same company and living in Shanghai ever since.

A: Hana: I’m working on a business plan targeted to Asia.
GIM 2010
To learn more about MBADiversity’s Global Immersion Module for 2010 and to apply, visit http://www.mbadiversity.org/application.