"Nil Veretur Veritas" - The Truth Fears Nothing.
So with that heading, here goes...
Two years ago, if my friend had told me that I would be at Cambridge earning my MBA and writing on a blog sharing my personal experiences, I would probably shake my head in disbelief. Not because I thought it was impossible, but the idea of going to do my MBA at Cambridge had not yet entered my head. But when it did it, it never left.
I am Can-'asian', as in born in Canada with strong family values. I've worked for the last 5 years in a mixture of roles starting in strategic consulting where I wrote white papers for corporate clients and NGO's to an innovator, product developer and marketer launching products in an incumbent telecommunications company.
Throughout the years, professionally and personally I never quite felt that I fit 'the mold.' The reality is, many of us don't fall into categories, yet our assumption is that we are alone in our differences. With a blend of values best described as 'east meets west', I consider myself a musician, painter, technology enthusiast and business professional. Even at work, I was thrown into different environments from the product development department with predominately men to the marketing department with mainly women. Taking under 5 minutes to walk from one side of the office to the other, the type of interaction, gender and culture varied, dramatically.
The thread of diversity has led me to an international MBA at Judge Business School, a class which represents 49 nationalities worldwide. In the last few months we, the class of 2008, have had the pleasure of meeting a Prince, High Commissioner of India, Oscar-award winning director and CEO's from some of the most reputable companies. Diversity of thought is certainly not in short supply.
I often remind myself of the old chinese proverb I read when I was a child, 'Be not afraid of moving slowly, be only afraid of standing still.'
So for our sake, have no fear....now is always the time to step forward.
Priscilla
Priscilla, I love this post! And you are spot-on about diversity. I was just talking to someone about this yesterday - this program is by far the most diverse environment in which I have ever been immersed. Diversity wasn't one of my top priorities when researching programs - but now that I'm here, and in the minority for once as an American and also as a woman, the experience has been profound. Challenging, too. I know it's affecting me in ways I haven't begun to digest. Very good stuff indeed.
Also? "Can-asian"... you crack me up! :-)