Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message. Feel free to be creative.

Sample One

This week’s issue is dedicated to Jamie Banks, a diligent and driven advertising professional with a quiet confidence, who is both a team player and a leader. Continue reading to learn more…

Global News

World Traveler Joins the Ranks of TWR

We are excited to announce that Jamie Banks will be joining TWR. Jamie is a dynamic, forward-thinking, passionate marketer, who “is excited to utilize the global perspective” he has gained during his travels.

Jamie began his life of insatiable exploration in high school, spending the summer in a rural village in Belize helping the town construct a desperately needed water tank. “It was an eye-opening experience for a young urbanite, and inspired me to always seek out or create volunteer opportunities.”

While in college, Jamie spent a semester studying abroad in New Zealand, where, in addition to attending Kingor University, he partook in the culture and adventure, even learning how to surf! This trip was followed by a visit to Thailand, a country with rich and colorful traditions that complement its spiritual and respectful people.

Most recently, he journeyed to Brazil, Peru, and Chile. During this trip, he visited the most southern point of South America, climbed a glacier and hiked through Machu Picchu. “It was quite incredible to see these wondrous places and it further opened my eyes to a world of exploration.” For Jamie, these experiences have demonstrated it only takes one common denominator to bring people together from diverse backgrounds and create a shared community. This is what she hopes to establish here at TWR.

We interview Jamie Banks for her motivation behind starting a monthly volunteer program at her previous employer, James Mickey.

Q: What prompted you to get involved with Mickey Cares?

A: I felt a company like Mickey, with almost 1,000 employees in the New York office, was an untapped resource that could make a big difference in the community. After passing a local soup kitchen each day, I did some research and found it was in need of help as its visitors were victims of the current economic crisis.

Q: How did you get Mickey Cares to sign on?

A: I approached Human Resources with my idea to launch a consistent volunteer program at the soup kitchen and offered to maintain responsibility for running it. I organized a kick off event as well as enlisted volunteers each month.

Q: How did you get co-workers to take time out of their busy schedules to volunteer?

A: I relied heavily upon my strong communication and persuasion skills, sending company-wide emails that encouraged all employees to volunteer at least once. I also learned over-communicating, having strong people-management skills, and showing genuine appreciation can go a long way to encourage participation.

Q: How successful has this project been?

A: To date, we have had over 100 employees help serve dinner and provide resume-building skills to those in need. I always receive at least one note from a volunteer after each visit saying it was a rewarding experience for everyone involved. To me, that is a non-quantifiable success.

Note: Jamie continues to give back to her community in her new role at TRW as a team leader for TRW Cares Day

Sample Two

Every Sunday when I watch my favorite football team play, I can’t help but notice that every position’s contribution is vital to the team’s success. It is the ultimate team game. Without any of the offensive skill players, the team cannot function or win. I see the many parts of my personality working together as a team. I would first like to introduce my Stern classmates to my quarterback. My quarterback is the one who is there everyday when I leave the office. It is the part of me that devises my game plan. My quarterback decided that a Stern MBA is vital to my success. My QB holds my feelings for my family, which is the most important aspect of my life. Although I recently moved to New York, I make every effort to continue the tradition of Sunday dinner at my parent’s house, forty-five miles away. My quarterback is well protected; not many people know this side of me. It is my quarterback that is compassionate and loving and therefore is open to attack.

My wide receiver is the part of me that is always running downfield, waiting for something big to happen. During my first year of high school, I tried out for the varsity basketball team, but was unsuccessful. . Even though I was disappointed, I looked for a way to turn the situation around. I practiced almost every day during the off-season and was able to earn a position on the team for sophomore year. My wide receiver kept me believing that I could make the team. I am proud to say that I have never given up on myself and never will; my wide receiver is able to be optimistic in struggling times and projects this positive attitude to everyone around me.

My dreams may be in the hands of my wide receiver, but my daily life is carried on the legs of my running back. It was a Thursday evening during my junior year at Dedham University. My group and I were at the library working on our marketing presentation. The members of my group decided that the presentation was “good enough” and that they were going out. My running back decided we could do better and stayed longer to add the final touches. We got an A. Thanks to my running back, I am not afraid to make short-term sacrifices to achieve a long-term goal. To my running back, hard work and dedication lead to success.

In football, a great offense is always balanced. It is important to me to have a healthy mix of work and play. I love to go out with my friends and family and enjoy life. I take my work very seriously, but my social life is just as important. I try to keep my “offensive plays” as balanced as possible. I hope that after introducing my offense to my Stern classmates, we can become a team; sharing our many personalities and experiences both on and off the field of business.