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  Young, Gifted, and Not Getting Into Harvard - New York Times
  
  
  A Harvard alum and interviewer reflects on the kids that don’t get into Harvard - and it’s not who you think they are.
  
  
  (tags: harvard education admissions stress achievement overachievers parenting)
  
  

The MBA, or Masters of Business Administration, is one of the most prized degrees in the world. It’s commonly perceived that people with MBAs go on to be high-ranked CEOs and Managing Directors, taking charge of multinational companies, rolling in the money. It’s a strong symbol of wealth, status, and power.

But what if you’re interested in business, but not in being rich or being powerful? What if you want to save the world? You’re in luck, because MBAs Without Borders is for you.

MBAs Without Borders is a Canadian non-profit that sends out people with MBAs to developing countries to work in economic and international development. They approach their projects through The e3 Approach:

• Enabling Private Enterprise through strategic planning, trade, and microcredit
• Educating Locals about business and economics
• Engaging in the Local Community to understand the local culture and lifestyle outside of the business aspects

Their projects fall within 5 major industries: healthcare, agriculture, finance, income-generation, and climate change. International businesses and non-profits come directly to MBAs Without Borders to recruit people, while interested MBA holders can check out current projects and apply through the Project Centre. Current projects include being a venture capital manager in Nicaragua, a Country director in Saudi Arabia, and a Chief of Party in Afghanistan.

While the rush for prestigious degrees doesn’t seem to be slowing down, it would be great to channel some of that energy into getting people to use those degrees for the greater good. MBAs Without Borders is an excellent initiative in this regard; hopefully more will follow.

Links in Post:

• MBAs Without Borders
• MBs Without Borders: Project Centre: Job Seeker Section

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  BBC NEWS | Education | Academic credits for volunteering
  
  
  “University students could be given credits towards their degrees for time spent volunteering, says a government policy review.”
  
  
  (tags: education university volunteering youth credit academia goodidea)
  
  

If you’ve got a couple of weeks to spare in the middle of the year, use it to help various communities around South East Asia.

SEALNet, a Stanford-based non-profit, is organizing various trips for college students to S.E. Asia for community work. Their projects are:

• Encouraging the growth of the arts in Cambodia
• Raise educational awareness in Thailand
• Increase earthquake and sanitation awareness in Indonesia
• Create media about gastrointestinal worms in The Philippines
• Open a vocational English teaching program in Vietnam

The only requirement is that you’re a college student - no age limits, no country limits, no language experience necessary. SEALNet will cover all expenses except for airfare. You can apply for up to two projects.

Applications close April 22nd, 2007 so apply now!

Thanks TinKosong for the information.

Links in Post:

• SEALNet
• SEALNet: 2007 Projects Application Form
• TinKosong.Com: Southeast Asian Service Leadership Network (SEALNet)

As many of you probably already know, there was a mass shooting in USA’s Virginia Tech university, killing about 32 people. It was the worst incident of its kind in US history.

Right now there’s more than enough conjecture on who did what and why, what influences did they have, what that means for gun control, and so on. Discussion is fine and good, but let’s not forget one of the most important lessons from this incident:

Treasure life.

We spend too much time worrying about getting that A that leads us to that top university which then gives us a hefty paycheque. Too much time worrying - and not enough time appreciating what we have.

We can walk and talk! We can read and write! We have enough mental capacity to even consider choices like those! We can smell, hear, taste, see, touch, think! We have this massive opportunity to use what we have to make the best of our lives. We have life.

Do this for today, this week, this month: show your gratitude. Tell your loved ones - family, friends, lovers, whoever - that you care for them and appreciate them. Do things for others and allow people to do things for you if they want to. Share something with a friend. Laugh. Smile. Think of all the good things you have going for you. Treasure what you have.

Life is unpredictable. As long as we still have breath and consciousness, let’s live in the moment.

To those affected: my sincerest condolences. To all: bless you all.