Student Initiative at Algonquin – ICAFRICA

ICafrica Fundraiser Kick Off

This month the Algonquin Public Relations class of 2011 launched their annual fundraiser.  This class has chosen to support International Charity for Africa, ICafrica.  This organization focuses on decreasing poverty in Africa by providing micro loans and support to entrepreneurs in Nigeria and Ghana.

I ran into this enthusiastic bunch of students during their flash mob event on March 10th.  I believe that student experiences like this help all that are involved.  The organization, ICafrica, receives the enthusiasm and support of young knowledgeable students, the students receive experience working with a non-profit which connects them to industry but also opens their eyes to new experiences and job prospects, and those of us that are pulled in including students, staff and the community, become a part of a worthwhile cause which is fun and worthwhile for all.

It’s events like this that solidify the college experience and provide the ‘applied’ that our students and future employers are looking for.  It also reveals initiative on the part of the students and the program.  These students are more apt to become the linchpins Seth Godin refers to in his most recent book Linchpins.  It’s these actions, involvement and depth of experience that will set them apart.  Good luck with the fundraiser!

Students Showing Amazing Initiative

TEDx Youth Ottawa - February 2010 (Ashbury College)

Two weeks ago I attended TEDx Ottawa Youth along with my 14 year old daughter and two of her friends.  The event was run by youth for youth and I was one of the few over the age of 25 in the crowd. All of the presenters were under 25, many of which are in college and university. The conference was ”A summit for young opinion leaders, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs to foster learning and inspiration, while provoking conversations that matter and creating a forum for “Ideas Worth Spreading”.

This was one of the first ever TEDx Youth conferences in the world.  The original TED conferences are now hosted by the organizers in locations around the world and TEDx is an extension whereby local visionaries can host conferences following the TED guidelines in their own communities.  I’m proud to say that Ottawa has hosted both a Youth conference and a TEDx in December of 2009.

The organizers of the TEDx Youth,Yusuf Malik, Adam Moscoe and David Millen (ok he’s a little over 25), did an amazing job.  The speakers where strong, poignant, professional and entertaining.  They touched on a huge variety of topics and a selection of entertainers dotted the agenda to keep the event engaging for the audience. Presentations ran from 8:30 to 1:00pm.

What impressed me most was the INITIATIVE that was exuding from this experience.  These students all volunteered their time to conceive of, organize and participate in this event.  This type of initiative not only is impressive as a whole but also serves as an amazing experience for the individuals that were involved.  These youth are different. They are putting together big ideas, inspiring others and making things happen that they care about.  By attending the event the over 200 students are also revealing their interest in learning and being involved in something beyond ordinary. The audience was respectful, attentive and very ’switched on’.

I’m sharing this here on our blog because I believe an event like this is an amazing experience For these these students. They are in fact developing their personal brands. Their participation in this event on all levels makes them stand out and shows to others that they have interests and initiative that others don’t.  I applaud their initiative and know that many of them were affected by the experience. Thanks to Yusuf, Adam, and David and the dozens of volunteer participates that helped pull this event together!  Looking forward to the next!

Algonquin Career Week – Innovation & Connections

Algonquin’s Career Week is underway.  I was fortunate enough to be a speaker yesterday along with many others.  My 45 min. presentation focused on Developing Your Online Personal Brand.  You can find the presentation on Slideshare and I will be presenting it again on Thursday at 2:30pm.  I digress…

I had hoped to attend the session The Future of Careers in Science, Technology & Engineering by Louis Lamontagne but I was called into a meeting and could not make it. While I was checking Twitter after my meeting, I found a link from the Algonquin Students Association of a video version of the presentation.  I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and was thrilled to see Algonquin being innovative in the use of new tools to share information and promote learning.

As I listened to his insights and words of advice there were many comments that struck a cord with me.  At several points in his presentation he noted the importance of ‘distinguishing’ yourself as a candidate for a position.  His words of advice included adapt and be flexible, be enthusiastic, ask questions, show interest, and get involved.  One of our key messages to our students is about showing initiative.

At the end of his presentation, he stressed the importance of revealing to employers that as a candidate you should be well-rounded. He then suggested getting involved in sports, pick up hobbies and doing volunteer work and overall all to ‘milk this place (the college)’ while you are there. Like Lamontage, we strongly believe that students should be extracting and seeking out experiences during their time at school.  In the end, your goal as a candidate is to distinguishing yourself from the crowd and it takes actions and commitment to do that.  I definitely connected with Lamontage’s view and hope to meet him in person one day soon.