I think one of the biggest misconceptions about MBA students is that they are in it for the money. And while we have career ambitions and would like to increase our earning potential, greed is not something I have witnessed from my classmates. If anything, I am learning how as Americans we reside in the lap of luxury compared to people in many other parts of the world, and that we each have the ability to be a steward of resources in hopes of making the world a better place.
Recently I interviewed another MBA student who traveled from Minnesota to India to learn about business. While there he visited a hospital that treats infant heart patients and was told that in that area, if the parents couldn’t afford the heart surgery, there was a cultural understanding that the baby would die.
Instead of just thinking, “Well, that’s too bad,” my friend and his fellow students raised enough money to pay for almost three surgeries to help the families who couldn’t afford to help their children.
I hear a lot about philanthropy and giving, but this act of generosity has gotten me to think. These students actually made a difference for three people who would otherwise die.
What impact will you make in the world?
