Exec Highlight: President & VP edition
Let’s get to know our team!
Meet Darian Roberts and Kim Nguyen, our 2021/2022 President and Vice President.
Interview Questions
Name: Darian Roberts
BCITMA Position: President
Interviewer: Nathan Hoffman, Communications Committee
How do you find a balance between your personal and school life with the heavy course loads at BCIT?
“Funny enough, I’m still figuring that out. Last year was a lot easier being online considering there was no need to plan for transit time, or even to fully prepare for the day. So I’d say I’m still figuring it all out on the fly. I’m working on managing my time as this is the heaviest course load I’ve ever had. Visualizing what your course looks like is a huge thing for me; I’ve been making Google calendars for everything! It helps me see times I can fit non-school-related things into my days. You’re going to go crazy if you don’t find time for yourself!”
Which class have you found most valuable moving forward in your time at BCIT?
“Marketing 1102 sets the foundation for when you get into these second-year marketing classes. You might think they’re not as useful after completing the course but the terminology you learn is used by industry professionals who come and speak as guest lecturers. A lot of smaller classes are overlooked including organizational behaviour. It focuses a lot on working in groups which teaches you the proper tools to become a leader and how to understand other people’s working processes. Excel is also extremely valuable!”
With the added responsibilities of being the president of the MA, how do you feel it’s impacted your time at BCIT so far?
“The best part for me is learning about other people and how they each have different ways of doing things. For me, it’s been a psychological thing where you get to learn each person's communication style. I’ve never been in a leadership position where I’ve had great people helping me throughout the way. What I’ve learned so far is that you can’t do everything on your own and you have to be willing to seek help from others. At the end of the day, it’s the people’s club, and being President is just a title. I try to decentralize that to where people feel they have a say and there is no hierarchy”.
How do you find the MA has helped you during your time at BCIT?
“It’s helped in a bunch of different ways! From time management with events and meetings, to learning how to prioritize my responsibilities. It’s also helped in a similar way to a previous question regarding finding time for personal things. The MA is an amazing family-like community where we all help each other out and feel comfortable enough to vent and just talk. It also gives you an upper hand where you’re a little more of a socialite and can use it to your advantage to expand your network even before graduation”.
Having done your first year online, how do you feel it has impacted being back on campus?
“Online learning was a completely different experience than learning in person and being on campus. Navigating around campus was slightly easier for me coming from SFU, but it was difficult to adapt to the schedule and time commitment that comes with BCIT. However, the upside to being around people has really made a positive impact on my mental health.
Is there any advice you can give to the first-year marketing students who joined the MA for the long journey ahead of them at BCIT?
“Reach out to second-years and make those connections! They've been in your shoes and can offer a ton of advice to help you with projects or scheduling your time.”
Speed Round
Go to Song to rock out?
“No Church In The Wild - Kanye, Jay Z”
Go-to Clothing store?
“UNIQLO”
Favourite Movie?
“Into the Wild or Social Network”
Favourite Sushi Roll?
”Spicy Salmon Roll”
Favourite Sport to watch?
“Formula1”
Name: Kim Nguyen
BCITMA Position: Vice President
Interviewer: Josh Mendoza, Communications Committee
What inspired you to be a part of the BCITMA?
“I wanted to feel involved and be part of something I can belong to. I heard from a lot of people that going to student clubs is good for networking, so I decided to make friends here at the BCITMA!”
What are your duties as the VP of BCITMA?
“My biggest duty is writing the Chapter Plan and the Annual Report. The Chapter Plan is a report that shows what the BCITMA is going to do for the school year, which includes setting out goals for the club. The Annual Report is a follow-up on everything that we do to assess the club’s performance and how we can improve for next time. The American Marketing Association (AMA) scores us every year based on the Chapter Plan and Annual Report, and last year we were in the Top 5 Chapters in North America! I also serve as a bridge between committees – connecting, communicating, and resolving conflicts within the club.”
What has been your favourite experience with the BCITMA so far?
“In the past year, it was hard to do anything with the club members since everything was online, but most of my experiences happened since August. Going out with my Executive Board and talking to them and getting closer with them was my highlight. We even made a game to guess everyone’s heights and we were mostly wrong for every single person!”
How do you effectively manage your time in a busy school season?
“I have a planner for everything. I have to consult with it every time – it has my entire life in it! For the past few weeks, it has been quite busy that even in all my breaks, it’s either I have a team meeting or a meeting with the MA. It’s important to have a good work-life balance and to take time for yourself. Even for the past Thanksgiving weekend, I didn’t use any technology, and I’ve never felt so relaxed!”
What are some activities that you do to de-stress from school or work?
“I read, draw, bake, and talk to people. I noticed that whenever I get stressed, I start disconnecting from people. I soon realized though that it’s nice to have support when you talk to people and that everything’s going to be okay.”
What are some things you might have taken for granted pre-pandemic that you value more now that things are going back to normal?
“I value not having to social distance. Honestly, whenever I hang out with my friends, I always hug them. That’s just a thing that I do. When COVID hit, I couldn’t do that anymore! I value giving hugs more to my friends now.”
Speed Round Questions
Iced Coffee or Bubble Tea?
”I love both for different reasons! “
Cats or Dogs?
”Cats”
Favourite Fall Activity?
“Ordering Pumpkin Spice Lattes!”
Introvert or Extrovert?
“A bit of both! When I’m tired, I’m introverted. When I’m rested, I feel extroverted”
Favourite Place to Study on Campus?
“NE01 and study rooms at SW1!”