What do Hult and the Hult Prize have in common

Written by Global Ambassador, Adwoa Benefaa Ofori, Class of 2017 Master of International Business student, Dubai Campus The Hult Prize Foundation was started by Ahmad Ashkar as a result of his MBA experience at Hult International Business School in 2010. The Hult Prize’s vision is very much aligned with Hults: â€Å"Empowering business minds to pursue purpose†. This years Hult Prize finals took place at the U.N. headquarters and the night was filled with extraordinary examples of leadership and innovative business ideas. In the theme of changing the world through business, The Hult Prize, the brainchild of Hult alumnus Ahmad Ashkar,  fits with this objective for creating good through business–on a major scale. Hult Prize is an annual social entrepreneurship competition that challenges students to build businesses that contribute to solving a pressing social issue, and also be a strong enough business idea, capable of making a profit. Todays millennial generation is interested in being social entrepreneurs and its that passion we tap into at Hult. We aim to empower todays global generation to change the world through business. -Dr. Stephen Hodges, President of Hult International Business School As a Masters student at Hult, my program has given me much more than just studying–Ive been undergoing a process of self-development, exploration, and growth. This year, Ive been paying keen attention to the Hult Prize competition and witnessed many parallels between the process of what happens as a Hult student, with what happens to teams during the Hult Prize competition. The beginning Much like at Hult, the first stage of the Hult Prize competition starts with an internal struggle. At Hult, this is in the form of an introductory course called Immersion. Hult Immersion is a module in which we get to know our cohort better through a leadership course with several team building simulations. We also go through the major topics in the degree subject that you choose. During Immersion, you are put in teams with complete strangers for the first time where you need to learn how to quickly pivot on your feet to adjust to your team to reach your goal. We had a business simulation during my first week at Hult and for the first time, I found myself in a group where everyone came from a different country. Not only did we have to learn to adjust to each other in a short period, we also had to make use of our differences to bring an output that would help us be the highest ranking company in the simulation. During the beginning of Hult Prize, participants must also form teams and are given a small amount of time to figure out the dynamics of the team and work towards your common goal. You know what outcome you seek but you must now develop a scalable business model that all of your team members agree on. As a participant in the first stage of the Hult Prize, this was one of the most difficult aspects of the process. You are challenged to form a team with diverse skills and overcome the hurdles that come with it, like narrowing down to one great idea versus a lot of different ideas. You must then pitch this idea to internal judges and be chosen as the team to represent your campus in the regional competition. The Regional Competition Next, teams must pitch their idea to judges and be chosen as the team to represent your campus in the regional competition. Teams from schools in Ghana, Pakistan, Canada, Italy and so many other nations were present at the Hult Prize regionals on Hult Dubai campus. As I spoke with teams like Communique and discovered the diverse skills each member brought on board, my mind was drawn to a leadership simulation we had completed in class a week before. With 17 different nationalities and so many different personalities and experiences in my Hult Dubai Masters of International Business class, it was easy to relate to this statement by Muhammad Sohail part of team Theiah, who participated in the regionals: â€Å"The entire process from surveys to modeling to the actual pitching was an opportunity for personal growth and to work with an excellent set of people. Hult Prize is one of the best platforms to shape the future of social enterprises.† â€Å"The entire process from surveys to modeling to the actual pitching was an opportunity for personal growth and to work with an excellent set of people. † -Muhammad Sohail , Team Theiah The Incubator The teams that won at each of the 6 regional contests and 2 teams that won a wild-card round participated in a summer incubator. Around the same time, as a Hult student, 5 of my peers and I were undergoing a business development process of our own through our capstone project. My team member Divine Boadu puts it best when he says: Understanding the feasibility of business is imperative in the entire product development process. Through the Hult Business Challenge project, I was able to gain a deeper knowledge of where to start and who to talk to when different ideas seemed futile. Understanding the feasibility of business is imperative in the entire product development process. I was able to gain a deeper knowledge of where to start and who to talk to when different ideas seemed futile Divine Boadu, Hult Student The Finals As my one year in Hult came to a close and graduation finished it off, Hult Prize equally drew towards the finals and towards selecting a team to be the winners of Hult Prize. But, the outcome of Hult Prize was more than just one winner: each person that participated took away something from Hult Prize–and as Hult students we had all taken away and grown so much from our year too. Wycliffe of BuuPass (formally known as Magic Bus) said: â€Å"the connections I made during Hult Prize made all the difference†. Just as Hult builds the business leaders that will shape the world tomorrow, The Hult Prize has also developed business leaders of the future in each of its participants.   Adwoa Benefaa Ofori is a graduate of the Master of International Business program at the Hult Dubai campus. Pursuing her post-graduate degree internationally became a springboard for her to discover new markets and her inner entrepreneur. Adwo has a keen interest in business development and finance. Her goal is to establish a tech business that becomes a major player in the finance industry. Kickstart your career in a state-of-the-art innovation hub by studying at Hults Dubai business school. To find out more, take a look at our blog Hult scores in top 20 in The Economist’s Which MBA? ranking for 2019. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .