Today I'd like to write about my decision to apply to the IBM Corporate Service Corp program, but first I'd like to thank a few more people. The downside of thanking people is that inevitably there are people you forget. I realized that I forgot some people and I'd like to acknowledge them now.
Thanks to all that helped over the last 14 weeks to prepare the Chile 5 team for deployment. Thanks to the IBM Endicott Senior Location Executive Program Manager and her office for their support. Now on to today's topic.
Late in the day on April 15th 2013 I received an email with a subject of "Corporate Service Corps--Application Cycle opens today." Over the past few years I've seen similar emails. Each year I read those emails and was astonished by the opportunity that the Corporate Service Corps Program presented to IBMers. Each year I would look into the program with the intent of applying, but ultimately decide the timing was not right. I would say to myself, "next year."
In all honesty, my initial reaction this year was very similar to those past years. With a wife, 3 children, and a 90 year old dad deferring my application to the Corporate Service Corps Program again this year seemed inevitable. So what changed my mind? It was a combination of things. In some ways it was like the proverbial perfect storm.
In the past I had been reluctance to leave my family for a month. Last year my job required me to make several trips to Raleigh. The first trip was 2 weeks in duration. While two weeks seemed like a long time it really was not that bad. It made me realize that my family and I would survive if ever I accepted a Corporate Service Corps assignment. Five years ago when the Corporate Service Corps Program was created I may have felt otherwise, but with two children in college and the third a sophomore in high school a one month assignment did not seem like a major imposition to the family.
With my sons attending my college alma mater, the University of Scranton, I have recently developed a fonder appreciation of the Jesuit education I received many years ago. When I was their age I did not understand the significance of the University's Ignatian vision, but after many recent visits to the University that has changed. The University's students and their commitment to service inspired me. Watch this brief video and you will see what I mean (specially the segment from 1:28 from to 2:23). Likewise I have been inspired by a recent service trip to Honduras made by the daughter of a friend.
I've been a software engineer at IBM for almost 33 years. I've achieved my third level patent plateau. I've worked on many significant technologies over the years. I'm sure these technologies have had a significant impact to many people, but not quite the same type of impact those University students had. I saw the Corporate Service Corps Program as my opportunity to do something inspiring, to help a group of people I would not be able to help otherwise, and to have a positive impact on the world. As I contemplated applying to the Corporate Service Corps Program I realized that there's always going to be a reason the timing is not right and that if I keep saying maybe next year then I'll never apply. It was this realization that ultimately resulted in me applying to the program.
#ibmcsc chile
Thanks to all that helped over the last 14 weeks to prepare the Chile 5 team for deployment. Thanks to the IBM Endicott Senior Location Executive Program Manager and her office for their support. Now on to today's topic.
Late in the day on April 15th 2013 I received an email with a subject of "Corporate Service Corps--Application Cycle opens today." Over the past few years I've seen similar emails. Each year I read those emails and was astonished by the opportunity that the Corporate Service Corps Program presented to IBMers. Each year I would look into the program with the intent of applying, but ultimately decide the timing was not right. I would say to myself, "next year."
In all honesty, my initial reaction this year was very similar to those past years. With a wife, 3 children, and a 90 year old dad deferring my application to the Corporate Service Corps Program again this year seemed inevitable. So what changed my mind? It was a combination of things. In some ways it was like the proverbial perfect storm.
In the past I had been reluctance to leave my family for a month. Last year my job required me to make several trips to Raleigh. The first trip was 2 weeks in duration. While two weeks seemed like a long time it really was not that bad. It made me realize that my family and I would survive if ever I accepted a Corporate Service Corps assignment. Five years ago when the Corporate Service Corps Program was created I may have felt otherwise, but with two children in college and the third a sophomore in high school a one month assignment did not seem like a major imposition to the family.
With my sons attending my college alma mater, the University of Scranton, I have recently developed a fonder appreciation of the Jesuit education I received many years ago. When I was their age I did not understand the significance of the University's Ignatian vision, but after many recent visits to the University that has changed. The University's students and their commitment to service inspired me. Watch this brief video and you will see what I mean (specially the segment from 1:28 from to 2:23). Likewise I have been inspired by a recent service trip to Honduras made by the daughter of a friend.
I've been a software engineer at IBM for almost 33 years. I've achieved my third level patent plateau. I've worked on many significant technologies over the years. I'm sure these technologies have had a significant impact to many people, but not quite the same type of impact those University students had. I saw the Corporate Service Corps Program as my opportunity to do something inspiring, to help a group of people I would not be able to help otherwise, and to have a positive impact on the world. As I contemplated applying to the Corporate Service Corps Program I realized that there's always going to be a reason the timing is not right and that if I keep saying maybe next year then I'll never apply. It was this realization that ultimately resulted in me applying to the program.
#ibmcsc chile