Blueprint of Action - Harvard Student Agencies
To determine how best approach this corporate initiative, we enlisted the help of three main sources of data:
- HSA Managers
- HSA Alumni and Board Members
- Representatives from other Student-Run Businesses
Based on our literature review, survey results, and interview notes, our two key findings were that:
- Most of the world’s biggest companies have no formal learning and development (L&D) program and the ones that do outsource it
- The main limitation that companies run into when implementing L&D programs is that oftentimes the lessons are too far from application and turn into just another action item on their employees’ already packed schedules
We're also working on writing an HSA Business Education textbook to formalize all our presentations and training sessions and scale this endeavor, as our ultimate aspiration is to bring HSA's Executive Education Program campus wide to non-HSAers. HSA is and will always be about empowering Harvard undergraduates to be the business leaders of tomorrow, and our hope is that this project eventually expands that mission to encompass everyone and not just the 60 managers who work 9-5 PM at 67 Mt. Auburn St.
Some other questions we'd like to pursue further as we go to implement this blueprint of action next year are:
- HSA already has a robust Young Alumni Mentorship Program and an Externship Program for senior managers. How can we weave mentorship and in-person visits to firms into this curriculum? How should we approach getting alumni excited to participate?
- There's a substantial gap between first-year managers and senior managers from a knowledge standpoint. Should we add lessons and guest speakers that are exclusive to senior management? What is the value proposition from a learning standpoint for managers debating staying at HSA a second or even third year?