Hometown: Montreal, QC
Major: Marketing
Minor: Concentration in Strategic Management
Known for her contagious smile, easy-going personality and her passion to make this world a better place, Eileen Chen is the epitome of a superwoman. It’s not just at McGill though; Eileen has always strongly believed in being involved in school life. For instance, in CEGEP (perks of growing up in Quebec!), she was elected to be the student union’s president after an outstanding campaign (featuring a parody to Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” that I can still remember to this day). She also held executive positions in many clubs all the while maintaining stellar academics…and she is doing exactly the same at McGill.
As clichéd as it may sound, her secret to success is definitely hard work. She is literally everywhere at once, and if you’d like a one-on -one chat with this girl, get in queue because yes, she is that busy – (unless of course you’re ready to stay awake in the wee hours of the morning, at which point you’re likely to find her and her trustworthy coffee mug at Cybertheque).
I recently got the chance to have a little chat with Eileen herself and here’s what she had to say:
HC: Why McGill?
EC: Because it’s smaller than Concordia, it has a higher cut-off for grades so more likely to be motivated throughout school, and it’s more challenging. I like me a good challenge!
HC: Favourite thing about McGill:
EC: The passion! I love that I’m surrounded by people that are extremely passionate. It’s contagious.
HC: School life outside of academics?
EC: Clubs are a big part of my school life – well, my life in general. I went a little overboard with them this year. My positions within the management faculty are: Desautels Business Conference on Sustainability (VP Marketing), Desautels Preparatory Case Competition (VP Logistics), MUS Environmental Consultant, MUS Human Resources Manager, Case League member, Happening Marketing Case Competition (Academic Delegate), and the MUS Marketing Network (VP Media). I’m excited to say that I’ve been appointed the President of the Marketing Network for next year, where I plan on taking Marketing at McGill to the next level
HC: What is it about you that makes you want to be so involved in the community?
EC: I get involved because they allow me to acquire tangible skills, help me give back to the community, get creative (thinking of event ideas and such), and most of all, forge friendships with like-minded students. They allow you to discover and/or develop your passions too.
HC: Life outside of school?
EC: Outside of Cybertheque and school meetings, I…don’t really have much time. In the past I’ve participated in singing competitions and this summer, I’d like to finally read books that aren’t textbooks in order to deepen my general knowledge
HC: How do you manage to keep up with school, other commitments, and everything else?
EC: Writing absolutely everything down in my Moleskine, and really analyzing/strategizing my productivity.
HC: Word of advice to other busy-bees?
EC: Don’t just get involved for the sake of getting involved. If you’re not attached to the cause or the end goal of the club you’re in, you won’t put in the effort and those who are dedicated will bear the brunt of it. A friend’s Facebook cover photo put it quite succinctly: “Stop the glorification of busy”.
HC: With a busy schedule such as yours, what are your summer plans?
EC: I’ll be working as a Digital Marketing Manager for the SWAP Team, a national clothes swapping organization. My interest for digital marketing was developed as VP Media for the MUS Marketing Network, while my passion for making this world a better place was developed as an executive for the Desautels Business Conference on Sustainability. I am also a Marketing Intern for Kutoto (www.kutoto.com), a smartphone app that allows you to pay for errands that you don’t have time to perform (and simultaneously lets you get paid for doing other people’s errands).
HC: Plans after graduating from McGill?
EC: I love, love marketing, so I want to contribute my efforts to any company I feel is making a positive influence in the world
Watch out world, here comes Eileen.
Images by Samyoul Kim Photography and https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/408104_400417100026751_1456492625_n.jpg