Running for AIM Student Association post

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As you can see from the poster, I am in the running for the Vice-Chair post of the Asian Institute of Management Student Association. (You'll also notice I used the same picture I have for this blog for the campaign poster). The elections will be on October 15, 2007, Monday next week.

So why did I decide to run? I am facing tough odds, to be honest-- Schoolwork is getting harder, my opponents (classmates Harneet Baweja and Kshitij Shrivastava) are more well-known by the student body and I don't have the political machinery (I'm running as an independent). I filed my candidacy because I felt I could share the experience I had from running the Adobe User Group - Philippines and the World Usability Day - Manila events in to the AIM Student Association. I believe I can make a difference.

My gravitation towards this type of leadership stems from a sense of social consciousness. On a Emotional Intelligence assessment AIM had for us students, one of my strengths was my high social consciousness. (The EQ test defines social consciousness as "ability to recognize one's responsibility to do good outside one's immediate organization, and to appreciate one's connectedness to society at large.")

Call it idealism, but I feel I can contribute. I plan bring back more non-academic activities related that would make the students feel the the AIM Student Association impacts them positively. But I am also realistic to think that there's only so much my time and the position can allow me to do. But the bottom line is I will make something happen.

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Today, we had the Miting de Avance, a fixture in Philippine elections where the candidates would be given time to speak and share to the public their platform and plans. I think I could have had a better showing. I came from an all-nighter last night, and my fatigue definitely showed in the event. I also was doing my Marketing Management survey so I was really doing major juggling.

One observation and insight I got from the Miting de Avance event was AIM students really want presence. One incumbent running for re-election whom I thought made contributions was grilled for the seeming lack of presence. The feedback was that the students still did not see enough action.

Another good point raised by the audience was the accountability of the SA officers. Some pointed out that SA officers should give the student body a guarantee that if projects are not done, the SA officer should not put the SA designation in his or her resume. I agree with this completely. (What do you think?)

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