My experience as an International Consultant has by far been one of the most unique, educational, and incredible opportunities I have participated in this far. As a Sophomore, it can be incredibly difficult to get experience and especially international experience. Working for a nonprofit like CEOLI has taught me so much that I will be able to take with me in my next group projects, interviews, and internships. As a group we were able to take a very vague idea and make it something feasible on paper. This project challenged me creatively and made me think outside the box while also keeping the project realistic. I feel like that skill alone will be something I use of the rest of my life as a student, employee, and teammate. I learned how to keep myself accountable even when things got challenging. In an online environment it can be difficult to stay on track and keep motivation, but with a project like this it was easy to fall behind if you did not stay accountable.
Despite our inability to travel abroad this semester, I learned to take advantage of the different online platforms that currently exist and integrated them into what our deliverables. Looking back at previous reports that were done by past ICP students, they were trying to accomplish the same thing year after year. I think this semester with trying to plan an art show it really expanded the potential for the ICP. Planning the art show, planning and implementing a social media structure, and collaborating with outside partners was something new for CEOLI and a skill I will be able to use in my next project. My outside the box thinking that resulted from this project has helped me think bigger for others and have the confidence to propose new ideas that have never been done before. My ability to be able to connect with people from other cultures was also a great skill. I learned a lot about how nonprofits function compared for profits. This gives me a great foundation for working with all types of companies in the future. In the future I have always had the goal to live and work internationally. I learned how others in different cultures conduct business and to be mindful of that moving forward when I do international business in the future.
I also learned how to work with a team and to formulate ideas extremely well. In all other projects we were always given direction on what to do and how to do it. This project was not like that at all. We were given deliverables but the process of how to obtain them as well as how to structure everything was totally up to us to find out. We had to bounce a lot of ideas off of each other and collaborate to be able to come up with a final plan for the project. The ability for us to listen to each other and mix and match our ideas is something I will be able to take with me past just this project.
I felt that the previous relationship with CEOLI really helped us in the art show portion of the project. It was definitely a new idea that CEOLI has never done before and because of our established trust it helped the process. A lot of people that had worked with our faculty advisors also offered to help with the art show because of the established bond they had. Also, previous groups had looked into making a stronger social media presence and we were able to look at what they proposed and elaborate on those ideas. We had the opportunity to really push some of those ideas forward. Without that already established relationship, we would have had a much harder time with the project.
Working on the project I believe really helped with our relationship with CEOLI. Like any friendship or relationship, it is easy to be there during easy times, but through times of stress and failure is when people look at their relationships the most. Pitt Business really showed that the students, faculty, and all those involved truly care about the organization. I know through my interviews and conversations with people at CEOLI they genuinely appreciated the work and help we provided.
This project was a wonderful experience for me as a professional. All of this past semester, I was interviewing at the Big 4 Accounting Firms for my junior year internship. In every interview, recruiters and interviewers would ask about this project and specifically my role. The fact that I was able to not only propose this idea but also to make it happen showed initiative, creative thinking, and feasibility. I discussed the group dynamic, the lessons I learned, and the importance of being attentive to detail and to think outside of the box.
For future groups, all I can say is to enjoy it. It is a difficult project especially online. It takes a lot of teamwork, critical thinking, and an openness to new ideas and new concepts. My group was not afraid to think big. We branched out to outside people, like Instagram custom clothing companies, to help us branch out for our product. When given the ability to do whatever you want, do whatever excites you. This project is a lot of work, but something to be proud of. I ask future groups to have fun and enjoy the journey!!!