From an emotional Cambridge Union party in the Michaelmas Term to the conclusion of Lent Term, my tenure as President of the Cambridge Business School Club (CBSC) has been an exciting, nurturing, challenging, and enjoyable journey.
When I embarked on this MBA adventure, my goals were to discover innovative solutions to scale my business, expand my network, learn from accomplished individuals (both classmates and professors), and push my academic capabilities to their limits. I chose Cambridge University for its prestigious academic heritage, diverse student body, and reputation for fostering innovation and leadership. During a study trip to Cambridge in 2018, I fell in love with the people and engaging conversations among students and professors throughout the city. Since then, I became fixated on the dream of becoming a Cambridge student.
Taking on the role of CBSC President was a great honour and responsibility that I eagerly embraced. I decided to run for this position because I recognised CBSC as an organisation focused on organising social and sporting events that promote unity among various student groups within the School. I saw it as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on my cohort’s experience during my time in Cambridge, and I can confidently say that the experience far exceeded my expectations.
I had the privilege of leading an exceptional team of individuals who shared my enthusiasm for making a difference in the lives of our cohort. It was a pleasure to collaborate with business rockstars from different countries and industries that served as CBSC officers. With Vivian and Christine, being the social heads, we organised over 12 social events, including major ones like the May Ball and a Lunar New Year celebration. Additionally, we fostered a sense of community through sports, as Cass and Taku, our Social Chairs, recruited 162 participants for the MBAT and achieved an impressive 3rd place – a historical result for Cambridge. We also organised local sports tournaments against Oxford and INSEAD. Moreover, with the help of Prabhu and Dip, we reconnected with our alumni through several enjoyable gatherings, resulting in many classmates securing job opportunities through these interactions. With the support of the brilliant Treasurer Jimmy, we managed a robust budget, effectively prioritising expenses to bring our vision and plans to life. We also forged new relationships with other universities like LBS and Oxford, while supporting our SIG network with Ina. Additionally, we revitalised our social media presence and optimised communication channels with the help of Luisa Robledo, my beloved new big sister.
Being part of CBSC provided me with a platform to develop invaluable leadership skills and cultivate a deep sense of community and belonging. Personally, it helped me improve my communication skills, lead high-performing teams (which required adapting my leadership style from my previous experience in SMEs), and engage with multiple stakeholders, including students from different programmes, partners of our student body, administrative staff, as well as professors with diverse interests.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my MBA year was witnessing the positive impact we had on class integration. This experience has been humbling, and I feel privileged that my cohort of 210 exceptional individuals entrusted me with their support. While we encountered some mistakes along the way, I am proud of the accomplishments we achieved, always driven by the best intentions.
