Clara Sheets ’12
My Experience
I spent one month in Tunisia working in the field to develop project plans and evaluate past projects. I also was involved with implementing a one week project with a Tunisian bank and hosting a Volunteer expert. In Tunisia, I was able to shape the upcoming project pipeline for work in the region. The projects I helped to develop and implement will promote small business lending and economic growth in the region, which is particularly important after the recent revolution. By participating in and implementing a week long project, I saw the actual impacts of the organization's work in the region and how a one week consultation with an expert could facilitate small business lending.
I also spent one month in the New York headquarters helping to recruit Volunteer experts for projects at field offices around the globe. I was able to recruit experts for the projects I had designed and to learn about different types of work occurring outside of the Tunisian region.
Through my work developing projects for Tunisia and recruiting experts I was able to use skillsets I had learned in the MBA program. While developing projects I relied on the broad overview of the financial sector that I have had throughout my finance courses at CBS. By understanding various aspects of accounting, venture capital and corporate finance I was able to design projects that would meet the needs of our counterparts. One of the proposals involved setting up a new division at a bank. Through what I had learned in business school, I was able to recruit experts that would not only help the bank understand all aspects of the new divisio,n including marketing and operations, but also would have the technical experience needed for implementation. Additionally, I relied on my knowledge of economics and financial regulation to work with counterparts in developing better financial infrastructure and understand the broader impact of FSVC’s work on economic growth and job creation.
The biggest challenge I faced was adjusting to life in Tunisia. Tunisia is undergoing a transition to democracy after the revolution that began the Arab Spring. While I always felt safe, I did experience a few nights of government imposed curfews in response to protesting. Additionally, there were language and cultural adjustments. I was able to speak English at work, but outside of the office most people do not speak English and I struggled to learn French during my time there. While Tunisia is a mostly secular Muslim country, I did have to adjust to the cultural norms, such as that a single woman traveling alone was atypical.
The Tunisia office only has one full time employee. I was often working independently and unsupervised when my boss would travel for work or be meeting with counterparts. I enjoyed the autonomy that the Tunisian office gave me, but not having a supervisor readily accessible to answer questions was challenging at times.
My goal for the summer was to gain experience in the nonprofit sector, which I am considering working in after I spend time working for a consulting firm. Through my work both in the field and at FSVC’s headquarters, I was able to see many angles of nonprofit work such as program creation, implementation, recruiting, and fundraising. I was also able to network with the experienced financial professionals who served as our experts. This experience has helped me to understand how important fundraising is and how government policies can impact nonprofit programs. Additionally, I have learned how international developments can shift focus from one region to another, as the recent Arab Spring has shifted much international development focus to the Middle East and North Africa.
I really enjoyed seeing how impactful FSVC’s work was in the field and how those who work at the organization get a broad overview of the financial services industry and international developments through facilitating economic growth around the world.