The autumn edition of START ME marked its last day in a festive décor, in an atmosphere of contrasts: the emotion and joy of the success and the nostalgia and the sadness of an ending. The afternoon of Saturday, the 5^th of December, reunited the participants of the two modules in a common session, perhaps the most beautiful one: the announcement of the winners, the awarding of diplomas and prizes, final speeches.

There were two winning teams: Best Project and Best Team. The participants also had a last chance to take a photo with Shanay one of the Indian trainers, who was giving diplomas with only a few hours until his departure home.

This autumn, START ME meant six weekends of trainings and workshops, contests, four international trainers, 80 participants, more than 10 partnerships with high schools and an unforgettable experience, both for the students and for the organizing team.

The Rector of the University approved this partnership in the Senate Meeting, after each of the Deans of the Faculties of Economics and Business Administration, Philosophy and Social and Political Sciences, Computer Science, Letters, Psychology and Education Sciences has expressed their written agreement.

Practically, each exchange participant will receive from its Faculty the necessary documentation and its experience will be officially recognized. This measure will be applied for all the participants who will finish their internship starting with 2009.

The recognition of this program raises the chances of the students in order to integrate and find a job and at the same this will certainly increase the number of Exchange applicants.

The process hasn’t finished, the next step will be to equate the Exchange experience with the professional practice from the Faculty.

For the members of AIESEC Iasi, the last month of year 2009 meant more than gifts during the holidays, because in this time, took also place the Local Committee Conference(LCC). 

On 12-13.12.2009 in the Conference Room of “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Univesity from Iasi, the candidates for the 8 positions opened for the term 2010-2011 – President, Vicepresident of: Finance, Communication, Projects, Talent Management, External Relations, Incoming Exchange, Outgoing Exchange - have demonstrated leadership skills by presenting their own organizational development strategies.

On Sunday evening, at the end of the event, AIESEC Iasi had a new elected president and 13 confirmed members for the vice-president positions, because the final decision on their allocation was taken by the new responsible for the entire organization. 

The event occurred mostly in the same way as in the previous years, but what was new in this year was the fact that LCC was opened for the external environment, respectively for parteners, corporate area and representatives of mass media.

The next step will be the transition period, when both teams of management, the current and new elected, will work together to establish objectives and directions of the organization for the next year.

The fail proof evidence that AIESEC produces great people, which are truly becoming „the change they want to see in the world”, are the results they obtain, results that differ the good achievements from the great ones.

This month our attention had been drawn by Sebastian Mahu, an AIESEC Iasi Alumnus who has won first place in the National Marketing Contest that took place during the 22nd-24th November, in Bucharest.

Diana Sofronie (D.S): Please speak us a little about the contest itself and tell us what this award means to you.

Sebastian Mahu (S.M): The contest was one based on the academic research area, and I had competed on the Marketing Research part. Basically, this is my speciality area and I have invested a lot of time and energy in the research I have competed with. I won the award due to my presenting abilities, but mostly thanks to well thought and quantitative character of my work. My work was based on regression models, and this subject, quite difficult, had drawn the attention of the jury.

D.S:  Where are you working at the time being?

S.M: In this moment I am working as a consultant for a publicity and marketing solutions company, I have my own entrepreneurial initiative on the domain of research, and I am also working from the position of associate teacher at UAIC-FEEA.

D.S: What are your future plans?

S.M: In the future I would like to consolidate my business and I would not like to leave Iasi.

D.S:  What did AIESEC experience meant for you?

S.M:  The AIESEC experience developed my taste for consultancy work, and taught me what the decision-making part means. I don’t believe that, at just 19 years old, a young man can test and play with such concepts in any other place.

D.S:  How do you see AIESEC now? Do you think it had changed from the time you were a member?

S.M: I don’t believe AIESEC has changed, I personally visit the headquarters as often as possible and try to maintain myself informed. From my point of view things are going smoothly, as long as AIESEC will have as much enthusiasm as now, and will have as many talented and passionate people... then nothing can go wrong. Any aspect, apparently negative on the surface, it’s a challenge that any generation had to face one way or another, a challenge that was absolutely necessary to build new change agents.

D.S: Would you see yourself collaborating with AIESEC in the near future?

S.M: Clearly, I’d like to collaborate with AIESEC because I believe there is where I will always meet people like me.

1. We would like to know what made you choose JCI in the first place?

I got in contact with the organization in 2004. Some of their principles were somehow alike to those AIESEC has, so they had a strong culture. It was what I’ve been expected, an organization which could help me develop myself and my business. Also as AIESEC, JCI was one of the fewest organizations which provided an international gateway. On the other hand I didn’t wanted to limit myself

2. Which was the experience that brought you to being a president.

I’ve been at the International Congress “JCI Days” in Viena where I saw something I’ve never seen before. It was like walking on an UFO, a Super Congress with 6000 people. There I had the chance to see big companies, the cream of the European entrepreneurs and youth. 

3. Was it like a revelation for you?

Yes. At that moment, in Viena I was nominated by Capital magazine for the award “The hope of the year”. It was my moment and I entered in some circles which gave me the opportunity to see how the world is driven.

4. Let’s talk about your career. What made you start a new business, and when did that happened?

Freedom, the desire to act, to make something efficient. The desire to earn more, to answer to some personal needs. And I am proud of what I do.

5. Wasn’t there anything to stop you?

Yes, it was. The fact that I started with 12 $. This is what could have stopped me. But, I realized that if you have patience it doesn't matter the amount of money you start with. You are given a lot of opportunities to invest in.

6. Except of patience, is there anything else you need?

Creativity. Perseverance. Communication. These are the factors that helped me get here.

7. Let’s talk about AIESEC, about the experience you had there, about the way it had influenced you.

For AIESEC I have a big appreciation, for the nice period I lived there. I was member on HR department, where a had a lot to learn. If I don’t make a mistake, the first time I learned about SWOT analysis was in AIESEC. Anyway, I consider that this organization was a standard for me and came at the right moment. At the same time it was a hand of know-how and inspiration.

8.  From what you have observed, how is AIESEC seen in the external environment?

I’ve seen a lot of AIESEC members that are today great entrepreneurs and managers. In JCI 1/3 from the members have been in AIESEC. At the international level there is a partnership between this two organizations.   Since ’96 there was this joke, "ai esec" (failure) because there were a lot of people frustrated by the fact that they couldn't join the organization. So the perception in the community is very good. The organization is seen as a human resources farm, from where you can employ middle managers. Despite this there are still some members that in my time wouldn't have been accepted. Not all of them. Anyway, most of the AIESEC members I’ve met are extraordinary.

9. What are your plans for the future year?

My mission in 2010 won’t be very impressive, I’m not aiming for the moon. The main target is to get JCI at a significant number of members, for the entrepreneurs in Romania and Europe. I take this opportunity to invite all the AIESEC members which are at the end of their faculty to join JCI, the cultures are practically the same, only that we put accent on the entrepreneurship part. 

AIESEC efforts were directed in 2009, as in previous years, towards the personal and professional development of young people, giving them a continuous process of learning within projects like Brio, START ME, IASHINGTON, Career Days, Leadership Gala, and Green Project.

During this year we had the opportunity to collaborate on these projects and not only, with people who invested in AIESEC support and confidence. Therefore, AIESEC Iasi thanks to all partners who have believed in our projects and were actively involved in carrying out the activities listed in 2009.

AIESEC Iasi assures its partners of highly appreciation and sends them only good thoughts for a new year.

Happy Holidays!