Profile of int'l volunteer program in Vietnam
Erica Seidel, WG'04
Issue date: 1/27/03 Section: News
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A conversation with Loredana Guglielmi WG'03 and Damian Olive WG'03
When you attended the Winter Ball in December, did you wonder about the cause you were supporting? Perhaps you're interested in learning more about the Wharton International Volunteer Program, or WIVP for short.
Recently, I spoke with second-years Loredana Guglielmi and Damian Olive, who both participated in WIVP last summer. They traveled with a handful of other Wharton students to Vietnam for three weeks. There, they lent their business skills to a project called Vital Voices. Vital Voices is a non-profit organization, based in Washington D.C., which supports women entrepreneurs throughout the world. The Wharton students who participated in this WIVP project analyzed the needs for a local Vietnam chapter of Vital Voices. They also recommended steps for successful implementation of a local chapter. As part of the project, they interviewed Vietnamese businesswomen about their needs for a training and networking group. In making their recommendations, the Wharton students also researched the cultural, economic, and political backdrop of Vietnam.
Loredana, who hails from Italy, worked as an investment banker in London before Wharton. She had done some community service work with non-governmental organizations in the past, but had no experience in the non-profit sector prior to her involvement with WIVP. Damian, who is from Argentina, worked as an accountant for Bank of America before Wharton. He has some experience with community service projects with Argentina's poor.
What attracted these Wharton students to WIVP? Loredana says, "I'm interested in development in emerging economy countries. I wanted to do something that would give back, and go beyond just making money." Damian seized the unique opportunity to travel to Vietnam, since he doesn't envision himself working in Vietnam after business school. For Damian, spending the time in Vietnam offered him a view of the country that went much further than that of a tourist's.
When you attended the Winter Ball in December, did you wonder about the cause you were supporting? Perhaps you're interested in learning more about the Wharton International Volunteer Program, or WIVP for short.
Recently, I spoke with second-years Loredana Guglielmi and Damian Olive, who both participated in WIVP last summer. They traveled with a handful of other Wharton students to Vietnam for three weeks. There, they lent their business skills to a project called Vital Voices. Vital Voices is a non-profit organization, based in Washington D.C., which supports women entrepreneurs throughout the world. The Wharton students who participated in this WIVP project analyzed the needs for a local Vietnam chapter of Vital Voices. They also recommended steps for successful implementation of a local chapter. As part of the project, they interviewed Vietnamese businesswomen about their needs for a training and networking group. In making their recommendations, the Wharton students also researched the cultural, economic, and political backdrop of Vietnam.
Loredana, who hails from Italy, worked as an investment banker in London before Wharton. She had done some community service work with non-governmental organizations in the past, but had no experience in the non-profit sector prior to her involvement with WIVP. Damian, who is from Argentina, worked as an accountant for Bank of America before Wharton. He has some experience with community service projects with Argentina's poor.
What attracted these Wharton students to WIVP? Loredana says, "I'm interested in development in emerging economy countries. I wanted to do something that would give back, and go beyond just making money." Damian seized the unique opportunity to travel to Vietnam, since he doesn't envision himself working in Vietnam after business school. For Damian, spending the time in Vietnam offered him a view of the country that went much further than that of a tourist's.