Anchalee Pagsanjan: professional

2/09/2016

Hustling at Hustle Summit

2/09/2016

About three weeks ago, I found out that I was a Hustle Summit Fellow! Hustle Summit is a badass networking event hosted by FindSpark. Here...

About three weeks ago, I found out that I was a Hustle Summit Fellow! Hustle Summit is a badass networking event hosted by FindSpark. Here's my experience:

Before the actual event, the fellows were invited to Hustle Summit Kickoff Party earlier that week. It was absolutely awesome. It was held in a cool minimalist Breather room. The laid-back Kickoff Party let us network with exclusive companies, other fellows, and scholars. I was able to become closer and exchange ideas with fellows and scholars. I met and talked to experienced entrepreneurs. I loved every minute of it. Talking to mentors with inspiring stories and words of advice encouraged me to change my mindset. To start doing and not saying. To not be afraid of change. To embrace change because it can lead to serendipity.

Fast forward to Friday...The fellows showed up to Irving Plaza early morning to find coffee and bagels set out for us. After having our breakfast, we started prepping for the event. Hundreds of swag bags later, we were ready to open the doors. As the attendees came flooding in, the volume of chatter started to rise. Hustle Summit had so many things to offer for attendees. There was an attendee lounge with a charging station where you can chill and talk to other people. The mentor lounge was very popular. You were able to get advice from brilliant young professionals about entrepreneurship, career change, and making your next step. All your career questions would be answered!

Let's talk about employers! Hustle Summit was heaven for any creative intern. From marketing to editorial, there was a company for you. Big established companies like HBO, Showtime, and Buzzfeed attended the event. New and upcoming companies like Blue Apron and Social Code were also there. There were so many cool recruiters to talk to. The best part was the swag that they were giving out! Companies had stickers, shirts, notebooks, tote bags, and other cool usable knickknacks. We also had a Bosco photobooth to take silly half-second gifs!

After a long day of work and networking, we got to let loose and dance! It was finally time for the Hustle Summit After Party. The FindSpark team, the fellows, and attendees busted some moves on the dance floor. It was pretty lit. A nice way to end the event and have fun with the other fellows!

This was an event I'm never going to forget. Forever thankful that FindSpark picked me to be a Hustle Summit fellow. I got to network with intelligent and experienced mentors who will help me along my journey. I was able to meet fellows with the same passions and interests. Everything was amazing! Can't wait until next year.

Note To Self: Take risks and put yourself out there. It's scary to do things alone but you'll find that you won't be alone for long.

1/13/2016

Ode to Diversity.

1/13/2016

Ode to Diversity by Anchalee Pagsanjan Age Diversity. Without it, I wouldn’t have been exposed to upperclassmen getting ready to jump-st...

Ode to Diversity
by Anchalee Pagsanjan

Age Diversity. Without it, I wouldn’t have been exposed to upperclassmen getting ready to jump-start an exciting and envious career path. I wouldn’t have been motivated my spring semester of freshman year to sit at my desk applying for countless internships that I had absolutely no chance in getting. Why? Because they were only “Accepting SENIORS and JUNIORS”. Age diversity taught me that titles didn’t set my limitations. I did. It helped me become more ambitious than I already was. I was encouraged. I was mentored. I was hired and I was able to bring my fresh and original expertise to my new internships. We need people from different experience levels to teach us their ways, whether it’s old-fashioned or innovative. We need people to spread their wisdom to those who still have to attain more. We need youthful minds to collaborate with mature professional to bring novelty and cutting-edge ideas. These minds will give us modern and unique perspectives that will help us overcome the roadblocks of conventional thinking. Without age diversity, we can’t discover, share, and connect.

Gender Diversity. I never understood the importance of this one until I took a course on Organizational Leadership. I learned that women made better leaders than men, but women only make up 14.6% of executive leaders. If they are the best, shouldn’t they make up more? What I took out from this one hour and twenty minute lecture was that we need more gender diversity. If women make better leaders, then we need more women leaders. More women leaders mean better leadership and better business. We need gender diversity because men lack the feminine aspects that make a great leader. We need gender diversity because women lack the masculine aspects that make a great leader. We need gender diversity because we have to teach one another our skills to better ourselves and the community. Without gender diversity, we can’t discover, share, and connect.

Cultural Diversity. Why do we need it? I grew up in a New Jersey township surrounded by crops and cows. I was raised in a Filipino household, but I never embraced my Filipino culture. I was embarrassed by it. I lived in a town where whites were the majority and the only culture I wanted to immerse myself in was theirs. Then I got to Rutgers University and joined the Rutgers Association of Philippine Students. For the first time, I was able to enjoy and understand my culture. I was able to appreciate its beauty. I was able to share this beauty with other Filipinos and non-Filipinos. I learned that it was important to be different and it was important to contribute to diversity. Diversity gives us the chance to show people the significance of each culture. Diversity enlightens us and intensifies our knowledge. Diversity betters our attitudes, beliefs, and actions. We can connect with people in ways we would have never thought to be connected. Everyone can connect through gender, age, race, ethnicity, interests, passions, or a mixture of cultures. With diversity, we can share our insights and philosophies. With diversity, we can express ourselves freely to “make the world more open.”

So what are the benefits of diversity? Look up and look around you. You are staring at diversity in its finest state.

Thank you diversity.

Check out my Medium account and make sure to share it :)

*I wrote this for a Facebook Internship essay. Unfortunately, I didn't get accepted. But I wanted to share this because diversity has shaped me and helped me improved. Diversity is so important! I wouldn't have the world any other way.*

RAPS Executive Board

My big who has helped me through college.

My Organizational Leadership Team :)

Anchalee Pagsanjan

Hustling at Hustle Summit

Ode to Diversity.

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