Clawing to the top of global competition
Le Phuoc Thao (Alex) Bui
A South American herbal remedy for arthritis has aided a Monash University student, who used it as the centre piece of an award winning business proposal.
Faculty of Business and Economics student Le Phuoc Thao (Alex) Bui was a member of the winning team of this year’s Global Enterprise Experience, a competition aimed at developing students’ management and business skills.
Alex’s team, ‘Claw for Coreguaje’ included students from New Zealand, Australia, Colombia, Nigeria, Rwanda and Hong Kong.
“I’m proud to be a member of the winning team. All the experience I have gained through my participation is very valuable and beyond my expectation,” Alex said.
The competition, run by the Te Kaihau Education Trust and Victoria University of Wellington, required each eight-person team to write a proposal for a profitable product or service that linked developed and developing countries for mutual benefit. This year students from 99 universities across 40 countries took part.
Claw for Coreguaje’s proposal investigated how cat’s claw (a woody vine found in the tropical jungles of South and Central America, which derives its name from its claw-shaped thorns), used as a cure for arthritis, could generate an income for the region’s indigenous people.
Alex, part of the Peers, Ambassadors and Leaders (PAL) program run by the Faculty of Business and Economics, said the skills she has gained through the program had assisted in working with the other members of the team.
“I want to acknowledge staff from the Faculty’s Ambassador Program for their guidance and assistance throughout the competition. Being an ambassador and being part of the winning team means a lot to me,” Alex said.
“The competition taught me how to make use of all opportunities through proper time management and how to work in a team effectively, especially when the other team members were spread around the world and most of the work had to be done online.”
Manager of the PAL Program Alison Richardson said it was wonderful to see the students engage with this business competition.
“The opportunity to work with an international team provides a platform for the continued development of leadership, effective communication and teamwork skills,” Ms Richardson said.
Other Monash students who were successful in the competition were Dieu Trang Nguyen (Jen), Rohan Singh, En Tin Zar Aye (Rebecca) and Benjamin Donald.