GMAT Prep Workshop with Bell Curves
We’re excited to partner with SVMP AA to bring you an exciting and informative workshop about the GMAT! Some of you might be thinking of applying to business school this year or next. It is never too early to start studying for the GMAT. We know that you probably already have a good understanding of what the GMAT is, and thus we will make this workshop interactive and for more advanced audiences. Join us on Wednesday, March 19th, from 7pm to 9pm EST as we go over the test prep strategies, how it’s used in admissions, and more!
Key Features :
– Test Format and Scoring
– Winning Strategies
– Sample Questions
– How to Best Prepare for GMAT Success and More!
Any topics you would love for us to cover?
Please email Victor Chen at victor.chen@svmp.org with your topics and we will review them ahead of time.
The workshop is open to all SVMP alumni, friends and contacts, and will take place at Bell Curves’ Times Square Office (151 W 46th St #900, New York, NY 10036).
*Click Here To Register For The Event*
SVMP AA Ski Trip 2014
(click flyer to enlarge)
The Harvard Business School SVMP Alumni Association is proud to announce our 2nd Annual SVMP AA Ski Trip! The first event was a huge success, and we hope this year will be even better! The East Coast has seen very snowy weather this winter season, so lets take advantage of it! Join us for a day of skiing, snowboarding, and hot cocoa drinking. Meet new friends and reconnect with old ones on the slopes! NOTE: This event is targeted at East Coast SVMPers in the surrounding areas of DC, PA, VA, and NYC, but all SVMP Alumni are welcome if you are able to join us!
Date and Time: Saturday, March 8th, 2014
Arrive at Resort: 9:00am EST
Depart from Resort: 5:00pm EST
Location: Liberty Mountain Resort (78 Country Club Trail, Carroll Valley, PA 17320)
Reserve Your Spot By: Sunday, February 23rd at Midnight
Prepay For Discount Tickets By: Thursday, February 27th
For More Information Contact Shahin Shahrivar
Alumni Beat 10: New Board Coordinators
New 2014 SVMP Board Coordinators
Tinu Akinfolarin, SVMP 2008
Professional Development Coordinator
Tinu is joining the SVMP AA Board in the role of Professional Development Coordinator. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College and her Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. Tinu said she decided to get involved with SVMP AA because “[she] believe[s] in the amazing work that the team is doing to benefit current SVMP participants and alums of the program, and desired to be a part of it.” Being involved with SVMP AA has helped her stay connected with our network and to make meaningful contribution to it. In her new role, Tinu is looking forward to helping the SVMP Mentorship Program meet the needs of those participating in it.
Connect with Tinu on LinkedIn
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Ahmed Brown, SVMP 2010
Corporate Relations Coordinator
Ahmed will be joining the SVMP AA Board in the role of Corporate Relations Coordinator. He attended Howard University and is currently working at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a consultant. Being a part of the SVMP network has pushed Ahmed to “aspire to roles in [his] career where [his] contributions will truly make an impact.” His favorite SVMP moments came after the program ended and he had the chance to make some amazing friends and memories. In his new role, he is looking forward to increasing the number of partners of SVMP AA and building off the success of partnering with test preparation organizations to join forces with additional organizations that support the mission of SVMP.
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Alyssa Chen, SVMP 2012
Corporate Relations Coordinator & West Coast Regional Events Coordinator
Alyssa is joining the SVMP AA Board in two new roles: Corporate Relations Coordinator and West Coast Regional Events Coordinator. She received her BSBA in International Business and Finance from the University of Denver in 2013 and currently works in Global Corporate Marketing for Visa, Inc. SVMP impacted her career choices through allowing her to analyze her career path more extensively and seeing a broad spectrum of career choices driven by passion and dedication. Her role at Visa will help her in her new roles because “[she] plan[s] to integrate the skills [she is] utilizing at work into creating better infrastructure and alignment on our SVMP Corporate Relations [side]. [She] also hope[s] to transfer the skills from [her] work into creating stronger relationships and perceptions between SVMP and external partners.”Alyssa best SVMP moment was staying up until 5 am for discussions with fellow SVMP class members.
Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn
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Gidley Dorlus, SVMP 2012
Corporate Relations Coordinator
Gidley is joining the SVMP AA Board in the role of Corporate Relations Coordinator. He attended Northeastern University for undergraduate and graduate studies and is currently a Ground Test Engineer at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. Gidley got involved with SVMP AA because “[he] saw getting involved with SVMPAA as an opportunity to help our entire population of alumni. The learning experience [he] realized this opportunity would give [him] really closed the deal in regards to getting involved.” He is looking forward to helping the Corporate Relations team bring in new sponsorships that will help our alumni grow and develop. Gidley’s best SVMP moment was attending classes that were challenging and offered a great change of pace from engineering courses.
Connect with Gidley on LinkedIn
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Ivan E. Duschatzky, SVMP 2012
Corporate Relations Coordinator
Ivan is joining the SVMP AA Board in the role of Corporate Relations Coordinator. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and is currently a Private Equity / Corporate Development Analyst at McCombie Group. Being a part of SVMP has impacted Ivan’s career choices because “SVMP introduced [him] to amazing lectures and individuals who helped [him] learn something that took [him] a while to truly understand– one really needs to do what one finds meaningful and interesting. It doesn’t matter what that thing is, you are the only one who has to find the meaning in it, and doing it is the only way to truly be successful.” He decided to get involved with SVMP AA because he wants to stay connected with our network of driven, inspirational members. He is also running his own business and would like to gain more experience in business development. His favorite SVMP moment was the case study about corruption in Argentine pharmaceuticals (since he is Argentinian and very familiar with the corruption issues) and spending time with his SVMP class.
Connect with Ivan on LinkedIn
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Sandy Diao, SVMP 2012
Social Media Coordinator
Sandy is joining the SVMP AA Board in the role of Social Media Coordinator. She attended University of California, Berkeley for her undergraduate studies and currently works in Partner Operations at Pinterest, which gives her an outlook and helpful skills for this new role within SVMP. Sandy said her “job is to create the best experience for our users, with the mission of inspiring people to discover the things they love and take action on those things. [Her] role at SVMP AA shares a similar mission – through sharing information and spreading the word about SVMP, [she] hope[s] for alumni and prospective participants to be inspired for their careers and education aspirations, and ultimately pursue those goals.” Sandy got involved with SVMP AA because her experience in SVMP as inspirational and she wants to spread the word about the program and help others take advantage of the depth of the network. She enjoyed SVMP for the friends she made and the eye-opening experience of learning about non-traditional business roles.
Connect with Sandy on LinkedIn
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Folajimi (Jimmy) Fowose, SVMP 2011
Recruiting Coordinator
Jimmy is joining the SVMP AA Board in the role of Recruiting Coordinator. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and is a member of the SVMP Class of 2010. Jimmy describes SVMP as, “undoubtedly one of the most memorable weeks of my undergraduate years!” His involvement with the SVMP AA in a recruiting capacity serves to pay the awareness forward. He wants to assist the recruiting team to build knowledge and awareness of the program in order to encourage high potential, diverse candidates all over the country to apply. SVMP affected his career choices by providing him with a lens not only to understand that business and society are not mutually exclusive, but also to recognize the fact that these two components are virtually interconnected and inextricably linked at almost every joint. After the first couple of case studies, he was convinced a career in business could fit his career mold. As a result of the program, he became fascinated by a career in Consulting, brushed up my knowledge of the intricacies and subtleties of the field, and pursued an opportunity in this area.
Connect with Jimmy on LinkedIn
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Breeshna Javed, SVMP 2007
Kick-off Event Chair & Alumni Beat Coordinator
Breeshna is joining the SVMP AA Board in two roles: Kick-off Event Chair and Alumni Beat Coordinator. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and currently works for Harvard Business School as a Research Associate. Breeshna’s SVMP experience affected her career choices because after spending four years in a Management Development program, Breeshna decided to transition into academia and Harvard Business School was the perfect place for her to explore her research interests in Organizational Behavior. Breeshna got involved with SVMP AA because she “had a wonderful experience in SVMP and would like to help continue the long history of excellence in this program and make it better and better for future classes.” Breeshna is looking forward to planning the alumni events for the SVMP Kick-off and hoping to implement new ways to get more alumni involved in the reunion and other Kick-off activities. She is also excited to work on the Alumni Beat and is looking forward to hearing from SVMP Alumni on how the Beat can better serve our network and goals.
Feel free to email Breeshna directly at breeshna.javed@svmp.org
Connect with Breeshna on LinkedIn
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 Shahin Shahrivar, SVMP 2010
D.C. Regional Events Coordinator
Shahin is joining the SVMP AA Board in the role of D.C. Events Coordinator. He completed his undergraduate studies at Montgomery College and the University of Maryland and is currently an Education Consultant. Shahin’s SVMP experience impacted his career choices because “being surrounded by amazing people has definitely pushed [him] expectations for [himself]. [He] was inspired to aim higher, think bigger, and work harder.” He got involved with SVMP AA because he didn’t want to lose touch with such a powerful and diverse network and wanted to give back to a program that helped him. Shahin feels that “it’s our responsibility as alums to leave our marks and empower the program for future participants.” He had a number of great moments in SVMP but the best was an impromptu debate in Gallatin Hall that started with he and a friend discussing current events but drew in other SVMPers as they walked by. He learned a lot that day from the number of different viewpoints in the group discussion.
Connect with Shahin on LinkedIn
Alumni Beat 10: Mentorship Program Spotlight II
Mentorship Program Spotlight II
This edition, we would especially like to highlight Angel and his two mentees Arlene and Trey for their dedication and hard work.
Angel Audiffred, SVMP 2000
Angel is currently the Chief of Staff at HITN and a member of the SVMP class of 2000. He shares his experience as a mentor for Arlene Munn and Trey Roby in the SVMP Mentorship Program.
“Brainy people such Arlene and Trey only think big. They both have ambitious goals that are only matched by their whopping-amount of potential. And it only takes one conversation with them to see it. This pair shares the exciting drive usually found in highly-successful individuals. This combination of smarts and motivation have put them in the vanguard; achieving milestones that others will take years to reach. And if all these gifts weren’t enough, the one singular trait about Arlene and Trey – that stands out the most – is that they’re both are really modest about all they’ve done and plan to do.”
Angel keeps in touch with his mentees with periodic phone calls and emails.
Arlene Munn, SVMP 2013
Arlene Munn is currently a student at Bryn Mawr College, studying Psychology, and one of Angel’s mentee in the SVMP AA Mentorship program.
Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a graduate degree in International Affairs and Business Administration to begin a career in social entrepreneurship. Arlene’s long-term goal is to develop consumer products and services that can serve as solutions to social issues.
As Arlene prepares for graduation next spring, Angel has reminded her of the importance of utilizing her network, tapping into resources, and occasionally asking for help. She shares, “I have always considered myself to be an independent spirit and self-starter, so sometimes I find it difficult to reach out to others for assistance. Over the course of the semester, Angel has encouraged me to take a more introspective approach to understanding my strengths and weaknesses.” Arlene feels like she always has a better understanding of her goals and how to reach them after speaking with Angel.
Trey Roby, SVMP 2013
Trey Roby is currently a student at Howard University and also one of Angel’s mentee in the SVMP AA Mentorship program.
Following undergraduate studies, Trey would like to work in Online Marketing or Branding for a major clothing company like Levi, Dockers or Old Navy. After acquiring his MBA/JD, he’d like to work as an intellectual property attorney for a major sports team, preferably Manchester United Football Club. He also hopes to turn his blog suitedsouthern.com, into an online magazine. Trey believes Angel has helped him create a more detailed step-by-step process in achieving his career and academic goals.
For questions on the SVMP AA Mentorship Program, contact Andrea Giraudo – Director of Professional Development & the Mentorship Program at andrea.giraudo@svmp.org
Alumni Beat 10: Alumni Perspective While Abroad
Entrepreneurship: Reconnecting to Traditional Roots and Social Impact
by Julian Addy
The quest for developing a deeper sense of self is always enriched by our ability to feel that whatever we are doing is creating an impact. Whether it is through working at a company, improving ourselves through education, or working with a non-profit, humanity has an inherent desire to feel that they are making a difference. After participating in the Harvard Summer Venture Management program and interacting with my peers who each had diverse skill sets and a myriad of accomplishments, I was reminded that my own capabilities were limitless. In addition to making it a goal to apply to the Harvard Business School, as I’m sure we all did, I wanted to find a way to make a difference before graduating. Instead of allowing the weight of big decisions get the best of me during my senior year, I decided to participate in a program that allowed me to give back to the country of my birth through entrepreneurship.
I was born in Accra, Ghana and moved to the U.S. when I was 5 years old. Like most immigrants who move to the United States in pursuit of the American dream, my parents were extremely adamant about the role of education as a source of relieving financial burdens. Unfortunately after moving to the U.S, I never returned to Ghana. After 16 years of developing my skills in the U.S. I made the decision to go back to Ghana through a two-week teaching program sponsored by Babson College.
While in Ghana I was partnered with another Babson senior and was given the opportunity to teach a one week entrepreneurship class in two high schools. At the end of the week, students would compete in a business plan competition in hopes of winning a laptop and prizes for their school. Essentially what this looked like was teaching base level marketing concepts, operations strategies, start-up costs, and employee relations. Despite the fact that some of my students had never formally written a business plan, I was highly impressed by how well thought out the business ideas proposed by the students were. Can you imagine teaching a class to over 50 students, who at times made it seem like they were not paying attention, and then asking them to present a business plan and they propose ideas that have the potential to drastically change the power and litter situation in Ghana?
To say that this trip was a transformative experience is an understatement. Even though I was a teacher, my students taught me the value of unrestrained creativity and capitalizing on all potential resources. This was not just a trip to Ghana for me. This was a chance to reconnect with my culture by validating a deeper sense of self.
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