‘Volunteers Build Resilient Communities’: Global Perspectives on Volunteering

In 1985, the United Nations established International Volunteer Day, which falls on December 5 of each year. This year, the U.N. and organizations worldwide are celebrating the belief the “Volunteers Build Resilient Communities.” At AACSB, we know this statement to be true. The dedicated and hardworking individuals who contribute their time, knowledge, and passion enable to us achieve our shared goal of advancing business education for global good.

While we recognize the tremendous value that AACSB volunteers bring to our organization, we also know that people choose to volunteer because they also gain personal and professional satisfaction from the experience. Members of AACSB’s Volunteer Advisory Group share why they choose to give their time to the global community of business educators, practitioners, and students to which they belong.

	Carolina Dávila, Director, Office of International Relations, School of Management, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia I enjoy volunteering in different AACSB activities mostly because I learn a lot and gain many insights from each of these opportunities. It is amazing how many people I get to meet every time I volunteer and how enriching it is to have the chance to learn and share similar experiences with them. It is also a great feeling to be able to share innovations and activities that occur at Universidad de los Andes School of Management and to know that these can be useful for other schools and institutions worldwide. By volunteering, you can also position your school among a select group of individuals worldwide who share their interest in the advancement of high-quality management education.
	Erick Devos, Associate Dean, Faculty Development, College of Business Administration, University of Texas at El Paso, United States AACSB volunteering is more than simply giving back to the business education community. It is a great value proposition in that it provides an avenue to learn, network, and, simply said, become a better administrator.
	John E. Endicott, President, Woosong University, South Korea; Vice Chancellor, SolBridge International School of Business, South Korea  Volunteering is the "energy source" for the incredible network of AACSB accreditation specialists, and believe me, the standards of business education realized through accreditation and CIR [continuous improvement review] visits ensure business education at the highest level.
	Imad-eddine Hatimi, Associate Dean, Accreditations, ESCA Ecole de Management, Morocco Coming from an emerging country, volunteering at AACSB is a valuable way to actively contribute to our context by discussing and sharing, with the global community, its challenges and the best practices that advance its management education. It also offers me the opportunity to achieve regular intellectual activities—such as writing a country profile, speaking at AACSB conferences, contributing to the MENA Affinity Group, and more—and to connect with other deans and associate deans during the different events and meetings.
	Unyong Nakata, Executive Director of Development, Shidler College of Business, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, United States Volunteering for AACSB is a joy and a privilege. While serving the higher cause of global business education, I am also strengthening my network of talented and diverse peers and gaining valuable insights that in turn empower me to better serve my institution. I wholeheartedly encourage others to consider how they might serve the AACSB with their time and talents. Whether as an academic leader, professional fundraiser, or something in between you, will find like-minded peers and enriched experiences along your volunteer journey.
	Sauli Sohlo, Deputy Director, Martti Ahtisaari Institute, Oulu Business School, University of Oulu, Finland AACSB volunteering adds a new dimension in my life: great people, great ideas, great engagement. Through AACSB volunteering, you and your school stay on top of what is happening in business education globally. It’s like getting the benefits of changing jobs, but without changing jobs; new frontiers, new engagements, new ideas.
	Kenji Yokoyama, Vice President, College of International Management & Graduate School of Management, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan Many people and organizations across the world need services or help in other forms. At the same time, we have a need for self-actualization, and often feel driven to satisfy this need by helping others. International volunteerism provides opportunities to satisfy the needs of both volunteers and recipients of their efforts on a wider scale. Volunteer activities can play a crucial role in business education; volunteerism is about finding and identifying the needs of others, which is relevant to business. Successful business people possess a high degree of volunteer spirit. Indeed, business and volunteerism are inseparable.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the many AACSB volunteers who help power our organization! If you are interested in exploring volunteer opportunities with AACSB, please visit aacsb.edu/volunteers to learn about ways you can get involved.