Latin American Board

Georgetown University Latin American Board Newsletter
March 2010
Boletín del Latin American Board

Marzo 2010

GCL in Full Swing 

We are reaching the final stretch of the Global Competitiveness Leadership Program and we are excited to share some of the highlights of our program so far!


Session with President Aznar -
Students were able to ask questions and interact on a personal level with President Aznar as he visited the GCL classroom. He spoke about his forecasts for the future of Ibero-america amid the recent financial crisis.





Survival of Snowmageddon 2010 - Our students experienced a historic snowfall with almost 3 feet of snow in some areas of DC. Students were able to enjoy several snowdays, and we remained as active as possible by carrying out project development meetings through Skype. Courses missed on those days have already been rescheduled for a later date.


Off-Campus Visits - Among the various visits included in our program curriculum, the students have visited the following:

     - Gallup - Mr. Gerver Torres gave an insightful report about Subjective Economics, and the importance of the new trend in measuring issues beyond GDP and employment rate for a country's progress.

     - OAS - Students were received by Ms. Irene Klinger, Director of External Affairs at OAS and a tour led by Ms. Aline Hommes from the Department of International Affairs. 

     - Capitol Hill - Students toured the Capitol Building and met with Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart to discuss the legislative process in the U.S.


First round of Project Presentations - This year, there is a greater emphasis on the development of projects to be carried out upon returning to their countries. Half way through the program, students presented their projects for the first time to be reviewed and critiqued by our Communications Professor, Rebecca Heino, and evaluated by their peers.

In their own words...

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

Victor Hugo Malagon"En el desarrollo del GCL se juntan el noble empeño, idea y voluntad, con el objetivo de formar a una futura generación de dirigentes sociales, políticos y empresariales de América Latina. En mi paso por este Programa he tenido la  oportunidad de compartir la mística, calidez, entusiasmo, y dedicación de directivos, equipo administrativo, profesores y compañeros, que logran trasmitir experiencia y conocimiento a través de su valioso testimonio de vida y de palabra. Mi consideración especial para mis amigos y compañeros de clase, quienes han impreso una huella indeleble en mi memoria y en mi corazón."
- Victor Hugo Malagon, Colombia


Ana ColladoEl color de los acentos: Cuando se consigue poner color a las palabras... eso es GCL. La mayor enseñanza que he recibido estos meses es que el acento matiza enormemente  el significado de una misma palabra, porque nuestros contextos son tan diferentes... Ahora veo cómo mi amigo David, de Venezuela, habla de color naranja -entusiasmo, éxito-; mis amigos ecuatorianos hablan color dorado, con esa claridad de ideas y esa calidez; las panameñas hablan de color púrpura, transmitiendo la magia y el misterio que significa separar (¿o unir?) dos océanos; escucho Argentina en azul clarito, color ligado a la inteligencia y la conciencia; y escucho Brasil de color verde: naturaleza, crecimiento, exuberancia; los colombianos hablan en plata, tenaces en su lucha por la paz; el azulado chileno me inspira estabilidad, y los peruanos hablan en amarillo. Escucho Bolivia hablando en color violeta: puedo sentir la frescura del pueblo boliviano;  y mi amiga nicaragüense habla en rojo, con mucha energía. El anaranjado mexicano es tan especial... No sé de qué colores hablamos en España, pero si se que el color que todos nosotros compartimos en GCL es el color de la Libertad.
- Ana Collado Jimenez, España


Julio Salinas
"El GCL convirtió mi perspectiva empresarial de un enfoque financiero a un enfoque con connotación empresarial-responsable. Somos parte de una sociedad y debemos ser responsables de la misma. Agradezco al programa GCL el ayudar a ampliar la perspectiva y los horizontes de las jóvenes mentes que tomarán parte activa del futuro de Latinoamérica."

- Julio Salinas, Bolivia


Macarena LoraLo más curioso de este programa es que no se conforma con atiborrarte de datos y certezas. Al final de los tres meses, no eres ni más diestro ni más hábil ni, por supuesto, más sabio. Aunque, bien pensado, eso de saber que no sabes nada es al menos un buen comienzo (ya lo dijo aquel tal Sócrates hace un puñado de años). Pero lo más valioso que se encuentra aquí no son las respuestas, sino la determinación terca de buscarlas. Con curiosidad y honestidad. Con ambición. Y con las herramientas, eso sí, que van poniendo a tu alcance los profesores que desfilan por el aula. Y como ese camino en busca de la verdad lo recorremos en un mundo en constante cambio -nos lo han repetido en distintos colores, sabores e idiomas-, lo que está claro es que el mundo pertenece a quienes lo conjugan en gerundio.
- Macarena Lora, España


Mauricio VegaGCL ha abierto un mundo mucho más amplio que el que yo reconocía. Poder estar en una de las mejores universidades del mundo, dedicado nuevamente a estudiar y en medio de una gente tan valiosa como la que representa cada uno de nuestros países iberoamericanos, ha sido una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida. Difícilmente alguno de nosotros no es hoy una persona distinta a lo que era al llegar al programa. Hemos ampliado aún más las fronteras, fortalecido nuestro concepto de la libertad y concientizado de la responsabilidad tan grande que tenemos en nuestros países. Al regresar entonces, el reto es enorme, pero más lo son las ganas por cambiar nuestra historia. Gracias!
- Mauricio Vega Lemus, Colombia


Bruno Zappa


Having the opportunity to come to Georgetown University and be part of the GCLP is a life changing experience. I'll take back home not only what I have learned in class, but also great friends and a renewed inspiration to change the world."

- Bruno Zappa, Brazil

 


World Bank Managing Director Visits Georgetown


The Latin American Board organized a forum with Mr. Juan Jose Daboub, managing director of the World Bank, in conjunction with the Hispanic and Latin American Student Association. Mr. Daboub gave his insights about the region as it overcomes the financial crisis. We had a standing-room-only event and hope to create more opportunities for exchange of ideas and discussion of relevant issues for the region.
(Foto: Tomas Guevera, EDH)


GCL Alumni Spotlight

The GCL Multiplier Effect is in full effect and this month we would like to highlight Roberta Machado (pictured in large image below) from the 2009 generation of GCL. She came to the GCL program with high hopes but never imagined that she would walk out inspired by one of her classmates to make a radical life change. She fell in love with the educational project Crea +, founded by her GCL peer Jose Miguel Ossa in Chile, and upon returning to Brazil vowed to start a chapter in her country.

This past February, with the help of 60 volunteers, Crea + Brazil was launched with great success at Escola Estadual Marina Cintra in Sao Paulo. They hope to help young children succeed in school by offering tutoring in math and reading and all sorts of extra curricular activities such as ballet, music, capoeira, soccer, volleyball, hip-hop, theater and other activities.

Crea + Brazil is currently working with 5th and 7th graders, and in the coming year hope to include 1st and 4th graders. The teachers at the current school are delighted to have educational support from Crea + Brazil and have vowed to connect them to the Brazilian Ministry of Education because they strongly believe in the power of this program.

For more information about Crea + please check out their website: www.creamas.com.br

Congratulations Roberta and Crea+ Brazil!!!




Call for Papers


The Globalization, Competitiveness and Governability Journal is always in search of interesting, informative and insightful pieces addressing the most relevant issues for the Iberoamerican region. The Editorial board is currently accepting papers to be considered for publication.

Areas of focus:

1. Local and global competitiveness
2. Multinationals, investment and finance
3. Business, law and institutions
4. Governmental systems and governability
5. Benchmarking and quality
6. Corporate social responsibility

Detailed guidelines are on the GCG website. For more information please see details on the Journal website (gcg.universia.net) or write to LatinAmericanBoard@georgetown.edu

Issue - Número: 3
In This Issue
GCL in Full Swing
In their own words... Student Testimonials
World Bank Managing Director Visits Georgetown
GCL Alumni Spotlight
GCG Call for Papers

Próxima reunión del Latin American Board:
 
 
25 de marzo del 2010

Georgetown University
Washington, D.C.