Sunday, January 21, 2007

Pot-lucky


EB members don't just do AIESEC work, they know how to cook too!
(Cook my also imply their mothers cooked blueberry cake for them)

Last night we skipped the usual Saturday night routine and met at Bryan's apartment in Loyola for a Potluck. On the menu was not spicy potatoes, ginger chicken, ceasar salad, halibut with awesome sauce, and chicken fried rice, and cake for dessert. The food was awesome, but the company was better.

I true @ fashion, we chatted, and then decided to watch The Corporation. The room was either too hot or too cold. There were too many issues/new ideas/awesome debates/eye opening news to talk about in the documentary. Save that for another time. BUT! if you haven't seen the Corporation yet, you have to get it.

Ps. in other news, the Leafs lost to the Penguins 8-2, oh no...

We told you so!


Research confirms AIESEC leaders’ unique characteristics

ROTTERDAM, January 12, 2007 — A research paper recently presented at the International Positive Psychology Summit in Washington DC, United States, shows that AIESEC members possess distinctive leadership strengths.

The research study conducted by David J. Pollay, Founder and President of the Momentum Project and Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, backs up the claim that AIESEC has been making since its inception in 1948—that its members develop strong and unique leadership characteristics.

Recognized by the United Nations as the largest student organization in the world, AIESEC offers 5000 leadership opportunities on local, national, and international level to its 22,000 members annually. By providing the international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential to have positive impact in society, AIESEC’s members are offered unparallel experiences for leadership development.

Pollay’s research shows that AIESEC leaders possess distinct leadership characteristics when compared to the peers their age and education. It strengthens the argument of how AIESEC has been – and still is – developing leaders with unique set of strengths valued across culture.

David J. Pollay, Founder and President of the Momentum Project and Master of Applied Positive Psychology and AIESEC alumni.

“AIESEC leaders scored significantly higher than their peers on the dimension of hope, curiosity, perseverance, leadership, teamwork, fairness, zest, bravery, forgiveness, and perspective,” said Pollay, an AIESEC alumni himself.


Sixty-two national presidents of AIESEC or their recently elected successors – who was elected by the general membership of their country to serve for one year – took part in the research. All of whom are young adults, 48 of them have a university degree.


Participants were asked to do questionnaire based on the VIA-IS (Values In Action Inventory of Strengths) test on-line. VIA-IS is a 240-item self-report questionnaire that uses a five-point Likert scale to measure the degree to which respondents endorse strength-relevant statements about themselves. The score of the AIESEC sample were compared to 17,400 respondents of the same age and education in the United States.


The test developed by Dr. Christopher Peterson, and Dr. Martin E.G. Seligman in 2001, two of the most notable researchers on Positive Psychology. The same test has been taken by more than 600,000 people around the world to measure their leadership strengths profile.

David Pollay’s research paper was presented in the 2006 Gallup International Positive Psychology Summit in Washington DC, the United States. Positive Psychology seeks discoveries of how individuals might lead a more positive and productive life around their strengths.


[Picture: David J. Pollay, Founder and President of the Momentum Project and Master of Applied Positive Psychology and AIESEC alumni.]

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Halifax Invades Alberta


AIESEC Halifax took over Edmonton and other parts of Alberta this past week for National Congress. Just getting back, sleeping for almost 20 hours, and now reflecting on the past week, it was an amazing experience. Pre-conference we took in the city of Edmonton and the West Ed mall, made it through a "white-out" to get to Banff, Lake Louise and Calgary for the sights. During the conference I connected with some old friends, made some new ones from all across the country, had great training and leadership skills, partied, and elected they new president of AIESEC in Canada, Mr. John Kelly, wooot!
~Adam (new alumni coordinator, double woot!)