Are you going to be a master student in the next academic year, and do you want to complement your studies with an unforgettable experience? Are you interested in event planning and in representing the association through various academic and social events? Then you should become the next Commissioner of Internal Affairs at AEclipse! Keep reading to find out more about the position and what a board year at AEclipse could look like for you!
AEclipse is opening its Board Recruitment for the next academic year 2022-2023. We have interviewed our Commissioner of Internal Affairs, Jonah so that you can get to know him and his role at AEclipse a bit better:
What are your responsibilities as Commissioner of Internal Affairs for AEclipse?
As the Commissioner of Internal Affairs, I’m in charge of all academic and social events that are planned by AEclipse. Our academic events range from large flagship events, such as the National Economics Olympiad or our newly implemented course on public speaking and debate career skills, to smaller, more frequent events such as organized lectures with professors and guest speakers on various topics. The same applies to our social events. I’ve been organizing everything from a large boat party with a DJ to smaller events such as block drinks or Students vs Staff.
This year I also started the AEclipse Football AEssociation, where we come together frequently to enjoy fun, casual football matches.
How much time do you spend per week on your tasks?
I would say I spend on average around 10-15 hours per week on my tasks at AEclipse. You kind of dictate your hours yourself based on the amount of events that you’re planning. I really enjoy that, because it helps me manage all of my responsibilities outside of AEclipse. So, if you have a busy block with lots of work for university, you are obviously forced to organize fewer events for that time. However, there are certain events that have a pretty fixed date, such as the National Economic Olympiad. These events do require careful planning. But generally, I would say the workload is more or less the same throughout the whole academic year, apart from at the end of the year, where there is less planning to do, as the academic year is about to come to an end.
Why did you choose to apply for a board position at AEclipse?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies and ever since middle school I’ve had great interest in international affairs and policymaking, which are two of the main masters that AEclipse covers. Generally, a lot of events that the Commissioner of Internal Affairs gets to organize have a focus on public policy and a global scope. That being said, a lot of the events that I got to plan this year have been based on topics that I’m really passionate about. This is why I felt like AEclipse was the perfect fit for me.
How have you benefitted from a board year at AEclipse?
I would say the greatest benefit for me has been the opportunity to develop and showcase my leadership skills. There are two parts of leadership. First, the ability to manage others and second, taking on a great amount of responsibility for others, but mostly for yourself.
As a board member you have your own committee that you need to manage, which teaches you valuable skills such as delegating work, organizing team-meetings and working towards a common goal. Personally, I have developed my soft-skills immensely throughout this year, especially in a more professional setting. You need to find the right way to communicate with each committee member, to not only get the most out of them, but also to make sure they feel comfortable in the group at any time. Furthermore, it has been a very important experience to carry the responsibility of a board position in general. Even though we have advisory board meetings that are very helpful, the majority of the time you alone are responsible for your own work and that of your committee. Those are all not only skills that are important in developing your character, but also skills that future employers look for.
What can you say to potential applicants that are nervous about the requirements and responsibilities of a board position?
Any large building seems big on the outside, but once you get inside things are already smaller, and then you can eventually break down everything room by room. The same applies to a board position at AEclipse. It might look overwhelming from the outside, but once you start your work as Commissioner of Internal Affairs, you look at each project individually and take everything step by step. Also, you are not alone. Despite the fact that you are carrying a lot of responsibility in your position, you are surrounded by supportive board members that can help you at any time.
Lastly, the great thing about this board position is that you get to have a lot of fun. Planning events is a lot of work, but in the end there is a massive payout. It is just such a satisfying and rewarding feeling to attend an event that you organized yourself, especially when you see other people enjoying it as well.
If you still have questions about how a Board year as Commissioner of Internal Affairs at AEclipse looks like, you can book a chat with Jonah via this webpage to have your questions answered before you formally apply! Do you see yourself as the next Commissioner of Internal Affairs at AEclipse after reading this interview? Then apply directly via our website and send us your CV via email. We look forward to meeting you!