Rise of the Undergrads Team ENPOV at the Hult Prize

At Hult, doing well in business and doing good are not considered mutually exclusive. One of the many instances, where youll find Hult students championing for business to transform lives is the Hult Prize. Referred to as the Nobel Prize for students, the Hult Prize challenges students to find new and disruptive solutions to tackle some of the biggest social issues around the globe. The Hult Prize has seen a rise of undergraduate teams taking part in the competition and despite competing against Masters, MBA,  and Executive-MBA teams, theyve shown they can bring the heat. Team ENPOV personifies  just that. Hanny Semere, Patricio Gerpe, Ikram Zakir, and Cusmaan  Dahir are students from the Hult Undergraduate London campus. Over the last six months, they have worked tirelessly to build their million-dollar business model, traveled  twice to  Ethiopia, and are now the first Hult Undergraduate team to make it through to the Hult Prize Regional Finals. All whilst studying for their Bachelor of Business Administration degree! We spoke with Hanny to learn about her experience competing with Team ENPOV in the Hult Prize. Congratulations on making it through to the Hult Prize Regionals! How does it feel to be the first ever Hult  undergraduate team to make it this far? Hanny: Honestly, its been amazing! Its shown everyone it doesnt matter if youre an MBA or undergraduate student, its about who has the commitment, the idea, and how you package it together. The level of support weve received from the entire community has been incredible. And not just from Hult undergrads. The entire school has been great at helping us–from rounds of faculty and staff feedback to even fellow students offering their time to help with crowdfunding. The Regional Finals are three weeks away and the best universities in the world will be there. As the first Hult undergraduate team to make it there, the pressure is on. And on top of that, we still have mid-terms! But all of this is motivating us to work even harder. Talk us through what motivated you to take part in the Hult Prize? Hanny: After I completed high school in Dubai, I came to Hult because of its real-world application and practical learning environment. I spent my first year  in London settling in and connecting with everyone. But this year I decided I wanted to take full advantage of what both the Hult community and platform has to offer. Im originally from Ethiopia and grew up seeing vast poverty every day. When I discovered the Hult Prize, I was excited by the joining of business and societal needs and how you could make both impact and profit. It was then when I said yes, this is the competition for me! How did you form your team?   Hanny: At the start, I really didnt know where to look for my team. I wanted to step outside of my friendship circle and take the opportunity to work with other students, who would be super passionate. On our Hult Facebook page, Patricio posted he was looking for like-minded students to form a dedicated team. From there Patricio and I met up and were joined by Ikram and Cusmaan. Before kicking off anything, we all sat down and discussed why we each wanted to do this. After that conversation, it was clear everyone was in this for the same reason–to engage in business and do social good. Students at Hult come from such different cultures, experiences it brings so much value to the table. And the diversity aspect really shows when we work on projects–like the Hult Prize. The more you work with people from diverse backgrounds, the more you learn, the more you can deliver. How did you develop a solution to transform the lives of 10million people by 2025? Hanny: We came into this with high ambitions. We got together regularly to collect research in hackathon-style sessions! Two of us on the team are from Ethiopia, and we flirted with the idea of going out there for field research. The idea became more attractive as we realized how much value the visit would bring. So we went for it. The only thing we needed to solve was funding. We began reaching out to our network to look for potential sponsors and Patricio created a corporate social responsibility pitch to show how covering the cost of this organization was a good investment for the organizations we approached. Since we had school commitments we literally couldnt waste any time. Once we secured the funding for the trip and the next day we flew into Addis Ababa. Our time in Ethiopia was invaluable! We went into full networking mode and knocked on the doors of everyone relevant–from businesses to government officials. From our ground level research, our business model evolved significantly. In the agricultural sector, a key market in Ethiopia, we found rural isolation to be a major barrier to economic and social development. Ikram had an incredible network in Ethiopia and spoke the regional dialects. This helped us meet local business people and one in particular from Sudan. Our conversations led to us designing a hybrid electric tricycle and contracting our Sudanese contact to build a prototype for us.   What advice do you have the class of 2019, who are thinking about competing in the Hult Prize? You just have to go for it! Im so grateful for the opportunity this competition has created and for bringing us together and providing the opportunity to cultivate our idea. Weve put our all into this and we plan to continue on whether we win or not. To learn more about Team ENPOV  visit their official website or Facebook page Hult offers a range of highly skills-focused and employability-driven business school programs including a range of MBA options and a comprehensive one year Masters in International Business. To find out more, take a look at our blog Tackling the youth unemployment crisis: Hult Prize Regional Finals 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! .