I stayed home sick infrequently when I was younger. At first it was exciting because when I was home sick my grandmother would always call, and she would ask what I needed to get better. What a fantastic predicament? Getting sick meant presents! After some time I realized there was a difference between want and need. I wanted a gift more than needed it. It was so wonderful that she always asked; she was always so giving. At some point the offers stopped, but the lesson had been learned. I, too, want to give in my lifetime.
Generally considering others’ needs alongside my own, it was a natural fit to find myself working in the non-profit sector following my undergraduate studies. While at American Jewish World Service (AJWS) I had a chance to develop technical skills while furthering the organization’s mission to rid the world of inequality and instilling dignity in those needing it most. As a company we each contributed through vital roles: fundraising proactively, advocating domestically, and grant making internationally. Our efforts were successful, and in my part to support the internal operations I too was making a difference in the world.
Buckminister Fuller’s geodesic dome symbolizes mutual cooperation; both become proportionally stronger as they increase in size. I revere this form and want to apply it to our global society. As an individual, I intend to contribute towards the global good through my talents in technology and business dealings, much like the results at AJWS. I want a comprehensive understanding of the systems underlying the world’s economics, and I want to be help expand successful endeavors like the Grameen bank’s microlending program. Amidst ever diminishing international barriers there is an opportunity to empower the needy alongside the successful. In a mutually cooperative world, individual success means benefit for all. That’s a world I want to aid.
The question is not what I need to feel better anymore; the question is “what is necessary to fulfill my ambition?” I am passionate about technology, and my current employment is helping nurture that passion; we are transforming enterprise applications into platforms only to further develop them into network products. I have a strong executive team leading the organization, and they are resolved to accomplish their stated vision. Whether contributing to the education industry with SchoolNet or social entrepreneurship through another company, I need a broader business framework to assist those executives and eventually become one. I want to study and enable myself to make a substantive contribution.
I am not currently equipped to accomplish what I intend to achieve; I want to promote a socially responsible agenda on a massive scale. As a businessman I want to take stock of the world in full motion, find my place amongst the global dynamism, and reinforce our collective success.