The positive feedback for the new Business Brigades model keeps pouring in! Check out this awesome email we got from Neil Dewan, a Brigader that recently returned from a Business Brigade with Texas A&M in Panama. Neil joined the group as a professional from Apple, and was able to provide unique insights and advice through his experience in the workforce and exposure to microfiance.
See other amazing blogs written by Brigaders about the new Business Brigades model here:
(Neil rocking out with kids in Torti Abajo, Panama)
I just got back last night from the brigade — I had an absolutely amazing time down in Torti Abajo! The community definitely has a lot of potential, and was an absolute pleasure to work with. Aside from empowerment, I think the real theme of the week for me was sustainability. We spent some time discussing charity vs. sustainability and from my perspective the new model definitely seems to focus on making a sustainable impact, rather than simply a charitable donation (which I think is awesome).
In terms of the capacity / potential for a professional to join a student brigade, I’ll admit that at first I was not sure how the group dynamic would play out, given I was the only professional joining the group. However, this skepticism slowly disappeared. While I did maintain my professional perspective, I started to view these other students not just as students, but as friends. More importantly, I started to also view them as business partners, sharing the common goal of making a sustainable difference in Torti Abajo. The students and I bonded quickly, and I think we all benefited from the relationships built (my facebook friend requests are blowing up as I type this email).
I learned a ton from the A&M group, especially from those who had been on multiple brigades. They seemed to have plenty of classroom-relevant experience and seemed to leverage much of their academic knowledge while working in the field. As for me, I think my work experience and micro-finance exposure helped me ask some good questions, contribute to discussions, and really be more of an advisor to the group. I also had the ability to sit down with the majority of the students at some point to discuss their post-college career plans and offer any relevant advice, which I believe they found to be very helpful.
Overall, I think the joint professional / student brigade has plenty of potential. I definitely want to go back to Torti Abajo (hopefully sooner than later) to follow up on the work done this past week, and I definitely want to go with a group of students.
Neil
