Accounting and Program Audit Team
By: Shawn Chowdhury
GLOBE is a class like no other provided at St. John’s
University. In most classes students take tests to assess how
much they understood the concepts. This method of education
is flawed in a number of ways. Some students may understand
the information but they may not be good test takers and other
students may cheat without getting caught and do better than the
student who actually understood the information. In other
words, test grades may not be an accurate indication of how well
students retain and understand information. In GLOBE test
grades are a small part of the learning experience. GLOBE is
a hands-on learning experience. The quality of education in
this experience is much greater than that acquired from taking a
test. In this class you don’t just learn about microfinance;
you become emerged in it. A Chinese proverb that Dr. Sama
always uses to describe the experience is, “Tell me and I'll
forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll
understand.” I believe GLOBE is one of the few classes that
help students fully understand miniscule details and implications
of the subject they are teaching by actually involving them in the
experience.
I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in GLOBE. I truly
believe that the class has made me more knowledgeable as a person
who is interested in poverty alleviation. The readings and
presentations provided by Dr. Sama give students a thorough
understanding of how poverty affects people and how poverty can be
mitigated. Throughout the year we saw presentations by other groups
and professionals to help us further develop our
understanding. Each presentation captivated my mind and kept
me informed.
Besides the interesting subject matter of poverty, the class also
helped me grow as a future professional. Through GLOBE I was
able to dress in business attire, interact and mingle with other
professionals and present information to them, proficiently, in the
form of presentations. GLOBE teaches students how to handle
real world situations. Everything in the class has deadlines,
requires meetings in order to meet deadlines and forces students to
collaborate in order to get things done. There is no way to
cheat in this situation. You are forced to learn. If
you cannot learn, you cannot present. If you cannot present, you
not only let yourself down, you let the class down.
I am proud to be a GLOBE manager. I have learned so much from
taking this class and I hope to use the information I acquired in
the near future. I eagerly await the opportunity to interview
for a company and talk about how much I learned about
professionalism through GLOBE or how the Associate Vice President
of Institutional Advancement at St John’s was so interested by the
Auditing System that our group created that he decided to use it in
his role of Professional Development. This class easily has most
real world application of any class I have ever taken in St.
John’s. Although I don’t know what I will ultimately do when
I leave St. John’s, I know that I will use the skills I learned in
this class wherever I go.
Accounting and Program Audit Team
By: Sally Ren
The GLOBE final presentation was a huge success with over $800 sold
in raffle tickets, an all time record. I am so proud of my team and
for their hard work. It really paid off, when we had our Prezi
presentation shown on the big screen it was unbelievable. I felt
really good and confident about what I had done these past months.
Every team did a fantastic job and I left that night feeling
excited, bittersweet, and proud of the GLOBE class that I had been
a part of. The journey doesn’t end there, helping others only
started with GLOBE. It’s all about paying it forward.
I have decided to pay it forward. GLOBE gave me the idea for a
business plan that I have submitted to the business competition.
The business is called B.E.P. - Businesses Eradicating Poverty,
where we can take the goods produced by the borrowers and sell it
online to the mass market. The great advantage of the goods being
sold in the mass market is that there would be more profits for the
borrowers than if it was sold locally. But like all businesses
there are obstacles, the biggest one that I see is the cost
involved with shipping the goods from Africa to the USA. However, I
do believe it can become a reality with time, research, donations
and good people supporting the cause. That is the reason I hope
that in some way GLOBE can in the future incorporate this or if a
partnership could be formed between B.E.P., GLOBE and the Daughters
of Charity. I hope with my free time I can travel and be inspired
with possible solutions in which I can push forward these
efforts.
Similarly, I have decided as a Senior to part take in St.
Baldricks, the event where people raise money for children’s cancer
research and shave their heads. Right now I have set out to collect
$2,000 by March. If that goal is met I will be shaving my head,
which will be documented in detailed. The reason I thought to do
this is because it was a challenge in many ways. It was a challenge
of my character as a person, giving up my long hair for a cause.
Realizing the consequences that this might hinder potential job
offers and judgment by the masses, but I think of myself as a risk
taker and someone that does not conform. I wanted to throw a quick
plug in here donations are being collected online at Sally Ren's
St. Baldricks Page
All in all, GLOBE is a great class and a great experience. We all
real do become a family, with one common goal of alleviating
poverty one microloan at a time.
Finance and Risk Assessment Team
By: John Marchi
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This is a phrase
that I feel really applies to our past semester. We have
overcome so many obstacles that were out of our control that could
have really set us back. We however stayed dedicated to the
borrowers. That is after all why we are here- to help our
borrowers succeed. There were times when I thought we would
not be able to achieve our goals; there were times when I thought
that we were stagnant, but the Finance and Risk Assessment Team
really pulled through and was able to have an experiential and
academic experience through GLOBE. I think the fact that
there was a human being attached to each loan is what kept us
motivated.
GLOBE has reinforced to me how powerful microfinance can be. I
first learned of GLOBE through a faculty council meeting in
2009. I was further exposed as a member of the microfinance
alliance at Credit Suisse. Being able to take part in the
practical portion of it by reviewing loan applications, issuing
loans, following up with partners in the field, presenting to the
Steering Committee, and fundraising has all given me a true
appreciation for how far a dollar raised can go. I have also
gained an appreciation for our donors, whether someone donates one
dollar at a bake sale, or fifteen thousand dollars- it all makes a
difference, and they all have helped us to alleviate
poverty.
The world that we live in is forever evolving, and so is GLOBE.
This semester, we issued the first ever self-revolving group
loan. We also set the framework for next semester’s managers
to receive an application for a housing loan. We realized
that by diversifying our products, we will also mitigate risk
further. Additionally, this semester, we really benefited
from cloud computing. By saving our records to a Google drive
account, we were able to track who makes changes, as well as
collaborate while all in different places. We are using forms
to track loan progress that will enable the ease of export into
excel, from anywhere around the globe.
GLOBE would not be successful without the four teams, director and
coordinator working together as one machine to further advance the
mission. We truly saw us unite as one, especially after
Hurricane Sandy when even though some of us were impacted, we put
on our Treat for Change event raising over four hundred dollars
which was matched by Dr. Sama and donated to the relief
efforts.
In closing, I will always hold GLOBE close to my heart. It
has been one of the most memorable courses I’ve taken because it is
so interactive- when you are in GLOBE, you eat, breathe, and sleep
GLOBE. It is now up to us to ensure that down the road- GLOBE
continues and we stay involved- whether through GLOBE G.A.P.,
joining the Steering Committee or contributing financial
means.
Marketing and Fundraising Team
By: Claire Cilento
It seems like just yesterday we were getting our group picture
taken, but now our GLOBE shirts are faded, our objectives are
checked off, and we are ready to take what we have learned from
this class onto the next step of our lives. Here are some of the
top lessons I’ve learned from GLOBE that I will take with me to my
career and beyond:
Teamwork - This semester, I met sixteen people, almost all of whom
I had never met, whom I was expected to work closely with both
inside and outside of class time. This meant a lot of different
personalities to learn how to work and communicate with. I
have learned that working with a team can be extremely positive, as
everyone has different ideas they can contribute and things can get
done more quickly. Even in microfinance, teamwork helps to ease the
process as group loans have often been proven to work better.
The things I learned from these experiences, such as the fact that
everyone has different management styles that you may need to adapt
to in order to work well with them, are things I will take with
me.
Don’t be afraid to take risks – I have learned from our readings
and lectures this past semester that microfinance involves a lot of
risk. Additionally, I realized that the many people who have
invested their time, money, and interest in GLOBE have taken a risk
as they do not know where exactly the program will go. I guess
technically I too, took a risk by jumping into a class when I knew
so little about microfinance. But I’ve learned that sometimes it’s
okay to take a risk. Just because borrowers do not have collateral,
does not mean that they do not have the ability to come up with new
business ideas and work hard enough to help themselves out of
poverty. And just because much of GLOBE depends on students, does
not mean it is not a risk worth taking. I will remember that taking
a risk does not always necessarily mean a bad thing as I go on in
life.
Communication skills – Whether it was speaking with the Steering
Committee during our first meeting, conversing with donors and
supporters at our Appreciation Luncheon, or reaching out to members
of the class to get something organized for an event, GLOBE has
definitely improved my communication skills. I have had to learn
not to be shy to express my thoughts or ideas and also remember
that the way you communicate can have a big impact on the way
people respond.
Don’t forget to express gratitude – From our readings,
presentations, and learning about the life of our borrowers, I have
been reminded of how fortunate I truly am. The people benefiting
from microfinance and from the loans our GLOBE program gives out
have to deal with much more on a daily basis than I will probably
ever have to experience. This has reminded me to count my blessings
every day and be grateful for what I have.
So, that’s it - the GLOBE fall 2012 class is just about over. But
even after all our logs are handed in, our presentations are made,
and we count up the last dollar that we raised over the last few
months, I’ll still continue to remember these lessons I’ve learned
and the 16 other GLOBE managers that I have grown to admire and
really enjoy working with.
Marketing and Fundraising Team
By: Xixi Liu
The first time I heard about GLOBE was from my deans. They told me
about this magnificent program where I can not only earn academic
credit, but at the same time make a difference in the world. I was
intrigued by the goals and accomplishments that the program had
made in the past and it was a great honor for me to be able to take
part in a program that can create history.
I entered this program not knowing much about microfinance and the
depth of poverty in developing countries. But I am leaving with a
wealth of knowledge that supersedes any class and textbook that I
have took and read in the past. This was not just a class that we
received lectures in. We gained hands on experience by
administrating different events and fundraisers like our annual
Treat for Change event, the Appreciation Luncheon, and our bake
sale at the entrepreneur event. Through these experiences we not
only learned about microfinance but we also gained knowledge on
marketing, managing, accounting and the importance of technology as
well. This is a course that encompasses all aspects of business
that can help enhance our real world experiences.
This is also a place where we can make a contribution; a place
where we actually came into direct contact with those that are in
need. Like Dr. Sama says all the time, “with each loan we are
giving, we are making a difference.” Not only the loans, but with
every little thing we did during the program, we have already made
a difference.
We are a class, a highly noted academic program, but more
importantly we are a family. We are different people with different
majors and backgrounds, but have been joined together by the same
goal: alleviating poverty. The diversity in my class alone is
astounding. We have people that are business majors but at the same
time we have others that are majoring in things like government and
politics. We have Americans, but similarly we have people that are
actually from developing countries like Bangladesh. All of us are
different, yet very much the same when we join together and
collaborate as one. We’ve learned to work with each other and help
one another as needed. This program would not be the success it is
today without team effort and the support of other faculty members
and donors.
I can honestly say that GLOBE has been one of the best decisions I
have made after coming to St. John’s University. It taught me a
great deal on team work, communication, and the business world. But
it was also because of GLOBE that I was able to use my abilities to
make that difference I am capable of making. No matter how small it
may be, I know I took part in changing history.
Technology and Communications Team
By: Moneifa Nance
"The key to ending extreme poverty is to enable the poorest of the
poor to get their foot on the ladder of development. The ladder of
development hovers overhead, and the poorest of the poor are stuck
beneath it. They lack the minimum amount of capital necessary to
get a foothold, and therefore need a boost up to the first rung. "
– Jeffery Sachs
My journey with GLOBE fall 2012 is one that I will surely never
forget. I learned a very valuable lesson in this very short
semester. GLOBE is a microloan program that is known for helping
the poorest of the poor but it almost does just as much for it
managers. Just as Jessica Lazo of the Spring 2009 inaugural class
said during her speech, I too have been permanently affected by
GLOBE and the idea of microfinance. I will continue to keep this
concept in mind through my career and philanthropic
endeavors.
I remember being disappointed about being placed on the IT and
Communications Team at our first class meeting on September 4,
2012. I had no experience or interest in technology what so ever. I
believed that continuing in the course would be a big mistake but
the curiosity in me and my passion for poverty alleviation
convinced me to stay. After a couple more classes I became
well acquainted with the rest of the class. I must admit that
is was difficult working with my team as they were very different
from the usual team (in terms of leadership and professionalism)
but I managed to assimilate and make the best of the situation.
GLOBE helped me realized that I can adjust and perform in any
environment. I hope that GLOBE will advertise the change it
inspires for it managers at St John’s as well as the change it
stimulates in the world.
GLOBE fall 2012 manager’s are probably the most hardworking class
of all. Given the major obstacles we’ve come across (Hurricane
Sandy in particular), we still managed to complete most of our
goals and still issued a new loan, which is the first of its kind
for our program. Some of the most monumental changes have
occurred during our administration. My team created a dynamic
website, the accounting team updated the lexicon and created
training modules, the marketing team broke the record number of
raffle ticket sales, and of course the finance team issued the loan
and did ground breaking research for starting business in
Peru. Our donors will have memories of the Appreciation
Luncheon long after we are gone which speaks volumes of the impact
our creativity has had on them.
With that I would like to thank Dr. Sama not only for giving us
this wonderful opportunity, but for sharing her expertise with us
in the form of lectures. Although the lectures are the most
underrated aspects of the class, they happen to be one of my
favorite parts. I find the field of microfinance to be so
fascinating with so much left to be discovered. I truly
believe that poverty cannot be alleviated by giving hand outs it
must be dealt with from the root cause which is the lack of
self-sustainability. I admired GLOBE for helping the poorest
of the poor and I hope that this philosophy will remain intact in
the generations of GLOBE managers to come.