The Path of Discovery
By Ryan Chan
Class of 2024
BBA in Global Business & Finance
As a freshman, I wandered into university without any prior knowledge about the wide range of career pathways and what it takes to pave my own. So to begin with, I decided to join the International Consulting Club (ICC).
As cliche as it may sound, ICC is a place where “the more you give, the more you get”. The sheer amount of training, insights and support that one could get from their peers and seniors within ICC is unbelievably extensive. There are three overarching pillars in ICC: client engagement projects with multinational corporations, weekly education sessions given by the seniors and seasoned professionals from top consulting firms, and regular case practices that simulate interviews. Twice a year, ICC hosts case competitions for its members: partnering with other universities like the National Taiwan University and the University of Southern California. Judges from top consulting firms like McKinsey and Bain are also invited. In short, what ICC provided me are constant exposure and a steep learning curve.
Benefiting from these opportunities in my freshman year, I decided to take up the role of Director of Education in my sophomore year. A sudden reversal of role meant I would be presenting educational content to ICC members on a weekly basis. The responsibility bestowed upon the role of Director of Education requires me to stay on top of contemporary issues and understand how global businesses could reimagine the post-pandemic era and thrive instead of merely surviving. After all, that’s what consultants do, and will be doing. Initially, this responsibility made me feel a rush of anxiety and self-doubt, fearing that I would embarrass myself in front of all the members, in which some could be much more qualified than I am. Thankfully, my peers within ICC have been nothing but supportive, constantly encouraging me, which eventually cultivated my need to speak with conviction and “own it”.
With mentorship programs, educational sessions, social and networking events, I have come to the realization that ICC resembles the Global Business (GBUS) program a lot. They both are a robust community and ecosystem that will support one from achieving excellence, regardless of which career or entrepreneurial path one chooses to embark on. They are about meeting people of diverse backgrounds and career paths, and attending lectures that allow them to look at issues with multifaceted perspectives. But most importantly, they are about instilling in students the mindset not to be afraid to try new things, because that’s the only way you can discover more about what you want in life and how to elevate yourself, whether professionally or personally.
Joining ICC allowed me to discover more about my aspirations and insufficiencies, challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone. So here I sincerely hope you can discover something that will help you the same way it helped me.
