How to get financial aid to take part in the SABF: two successful cases

by Luciana Reznik

We know that when applying to the forum, travel expenses often play against some participants. Although we would like to pay the tickets to everyone, we are not financially able to do so yet. That’s why we are bringing  you testimonies of two Brazilian students who managed to get a sponsor to travel to Buenos Aires and attend the SABF. We hope these stories urge you to apply to the forum regardless of economic constraints and try to do your best to get the help you need. Remember that the organizing team is there to help you in everything you need.

Camila Ferraz, Brazil

“Last year I attended SABF for the first time, and I certainly look forward to attending it again! I was passing through busy days with many assignments for college, writing my final theses, and working in my internship; but taking some time for the application essay ended up to be a good exercise for personal research and reflection. When I got accepted, I was so enthusiastic to be part of SABF that I got in touch with International Relations Office from FGV, the college where I was a senior student of business and asked for a sponsorship. My school didn’t have sponsorship policies, so that I decided to submit a package including the description of SABF, my CV, the essay I wrote when applying, my academic records, and an overview of past editions. My goal was to get the sponsorship, but also to get FGV community more involved with the Forum. As a business school, I considered it is priceless to get students in touch with such a relevant agenda, outstanding people, and sustainable development as a topic in the bottom line of a big diversity of themes.They promptly accepted my request and afforded my flying ticket expenses and travel securities.

Currently, at the same time I am working on my application for 2012, I want students from FGV to be aware of this amazing opportunity, and I hope they can contribute to the Forum, and learn from it as I did. I wish you all good luck and hope to meet up in Buenos Aires next August!”

César Wedemann, Brasil

****“The South American Business Forum was an amazing experience and it is not just my personal opinion. Since it adds tremendous value in a lot of different layers (personal, professional, academic, etc.), I looked for sponsorships to be able to take part of it. After some presentations telling what is the event and why it would be important for me, I got sponsored by Siemes AG Deutschland (my employer at that time) and University of São Paulo (my home university). I am grateful to both of them and I highly recommend people to apply and – once being approved – to look for sponsorship. It is a priceless experience!”