RIT’s Global Consortium brings student leaders to Zagreb

RIT’s Global Consortium, which unites Student Government leaders from the various RIT campuses to discuss common issues and best practices, was held earlier this month in Zagreb, Croatia.

The annual meeting, typically held during the January break, was moved up this year to give students more time to work on their recommendations.

“We met to discuss a range of topics from general structure to pressing issues that our institutions experience,” said Anika Aftab, RIT Student Government president. “Overall, the goal is to help each other grow and strengthen our ties.”

Their four days were busy with several presentations.

“We had a good deal of time to work on our deliverables,” Aftab said. “We’re creating two videos – one about the consortium and the other a welcome to RIT China.”

The students also talked about creating more opportunities for students through event coordination between campuses and coming up with creative budgeting ideas for subsidizing student incentives and ambitions.

Martina Perić, RIT Croatia’s Student Government president, said the meeting was both humbling and empowering for her.

“It’s always inspiring to meet other young, ambitious people who care about their communities and are genuinely there to make the most for them,” she said. “Seeing that we face similar challenges and we all go through them in our own ways reminds us how very much alike we are, but also how every campus is unique in what and how they do things.”

Perić said she was glad RIT Croatia hosted this year’s consortium, which took place at its Zagreb campus.

“It was everything from very stressful to very exciting,” she said. Not only did they arrange accommodations and agendas, “we tried our best to pay attention to the small things as well: making sure the food we chose was amazing and representative of our culture, making time to see and experience Zagreb, and having time to reflect on activities in order to completely enjoy the experience.”

After their meetings, the students got to sample some of the local culture, visit a museum and tour the city with the assistance of two RIT Croatia students who served as guides.

Perić said the most memorable part of the consortium was the socializing in the hours after the official agenda was done for the day.

“It always reminds you that no matter how hard we work, the most valuable things are the human connections made and friendships we formed because, in the end, that’s what makes us better people and better leaders to our Student Governments,” Perić said.

Aftab said an inter-campus event is being planned at RIT Dubai next spring.