Tag: Student Organizations

03/27/12

PorColombia President on the VI Student/Professional Conference at Cornell University


Carlos Macias is a Baruch graduate in Journalism and History. Last year, Macias was elected president of the PorColombia National group. In an interview with him we discussed general aspects relevant to the VI Student/Professional Conference the organization will be holding at Cornell University next month.

What makes this year’s conference at Cornell so special?

This year marks the sixth installment of our annual signature event. This conference brings 14 speakers, 3 Panels, 6 workshops, the exclusive & avante-garde art exhibition of Edwin Gil “Quilting Differences: Blending Art & Social Media”, and of course, Colombian rumba.

How can people who do not have a Colombian background  benefit from attending this event or future conferences? What could be of interest to them?

This conference brings a wide view of how Colombia interacts in the hemisphere as a key economic player, it will show how we have used urban planning and architecture to address social inequality in Colombia and how these examples can be used elsewhere. Also, our 4 pillars: cultural, social, academic, philanthropic help us provide an experience where our members sharpen their entrepreneurial, networking and leadership skills. These are some of the reasons why in our national board we have people from other Latin American countries like Perú and Ecuador.

How does the topic(s) of this year’s conference relate to any international business/cultural issues?

This year’s topic “Construyendo País” is particularly relevant with international business and hemispheric culture. We navigate between two worlds. One, we are an integral part of the American society and we contribute to its progress. At the same time, we keep deep and constant connections with our homeland. This duality makes us very aware of the potential of our commercial relations in the Americas giving us a professional edge thanks to our cultural intelligence.

What is a good example of an impact created by a PC conference? Does it go beyond being an informational forum? What usually happens after the conference is over?

The conference serves several purposes: Strengthen our growing organization and networking, create a forum for thoughtful discussion and debate, and cement our foundations to keep attracting the best talent from universities across the U.S. and Canada. Once the conference is over, we use these connections to keep growing and create a sense of community. The event also shows potential recruiters, the quality of the people in PorColombia and generates many job opportunities. We have several stories of people getting jobs and internships thanks to our networking.


 

03/16/12

VI Colombian Student and Professional Conference: “Construyendo Pais” PorColombia at Cornell University

PorColombia is a group established in the United States and Canada with the purpose of bringing together college students and professionals with a Colombian background or interest in Colombia. One of PorColombia’s main goals is contributing to the professional success of their members while helping them become active contributors to both  Colombian and the North American societies. PorColombia members are known for being enthusiastic leaders eager to go “De la Passion a la accion”- “From the Passion to the action.” PorColombia has a student chapter in Canada (York University) and eleven more chapters in recognized Universities and colleges along the United States east coast, among them, Baruch College, NYU and Columbia University in New York City.

Most recently, PorColombia developed a professional chapter so that students graduating from college- as well as other professionals- can keep contributing to the social development of their communities and benefit from what PC has to offer: networking opportunities, workshops, professional conferences and a great group of people who are always willing to help.

Every year, one of the PorColombia chapters is in charge of organizing the student/professional conference where members from the different chapters get together for an entire weekend in mid-April. During the conference PorColombianos attend workshops, networking events and debates about current economic, political, social and cultural aspects/happenings contributing to the development of Colombia and the way it is viewed internationally.

This year the VI PorColombia Conference: “Construyendo Pais: Perspectives of Colombia’s Leadership in Latin America” will be hosted by the PC chapter at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Among the guest speakers attending this forum we find outstanding figures such as Roberto J. Bonnet, President of the Federation of Colombian insurers and former Ambassador and Minister of agriculture; Sergio Ardila, senior economist at the Inter-American Development Bank and Maria A. Arbelaez, Colombian representative before the  International Monetary Fund among several others.

Our PorColombia chapter at Baruch has been a major contributor to the development of the organization and proof  of the active participation of Baruch students and alumni in the national executive board, now led by Carlos Macias, Journalist and former Baruch student, as well as the opening of the first professional chapter under the direction of  Baruch graduate in economics, Yolanis Barros.

 

For details about the conference and how to register to attend, please visit:

http://porcolombia.net/taking-action/vi-colombian-students-professionals-conference/