Tag: MICA

Country roads, take me home

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This one is special. I don’t really know why, but from the moment I’ve known about this committee, there’s been a certain curiosity about it. A certain fascination even, if you may. Maybe it’s because of what they do. Maybe its because of what they stand for.

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Since its establishment in 1991, MICAn alumni have gained a strong foothold in the best agencies, organizations, and companies of the world. MICA’s Alumni Engagement Committee (AEC) functions to strengthen the bond between the institute and alumni for a mutually beneficial relationship.

The Committee helps Alumni interface with the Administration and students through a series of Homecomings – reunions – held at MICA Campus through the year. The committee also organizes alumni interaction sessions for the current batch of students from time to time on a variety of topics through its “Alumni Talkies” initiative. Apart from the unique experience of networking and interacting with top-notch officials, leading decision makers of the media, FMCG, advertising sectors etc., the alumni committee teaches one how to foster and nurture a strong bond between the institute and its ex-students.

The Alumni Engagement Committee not only undertakes year-long engagement but also complements other committees by helping them leverage a strong Alumni foundation. The Committee also manages an online portal for Alumni and works together with an independent, registered body of Alumnus (the MICA Alumni Association) to drive mutual benefits for the institution.

Being able to have such an impact on lives, to be able to have that responsibility of ensuring a pleasant welcome back to this beautiful place we call our homes , for these 2 years and beyond, from the initial days of “What place is this?”, “I hate how secluded and away it is, in a village”, “I want to go home!” to the days when you don’t want to leave when the time comes, when you want to stay in your hostel for just 1 more day, when you don’t want to leave campus and you finally realise that how you’ve fallen in love with this place,it is just overwhelming and beautiful.

To have that responsibility of putting a smile on someone’s face, of watching them relive those glory days is a feeling that is unmatched and unparalleled, something that no other committee comes close of matching. And thus, this is why this one is my favourite.

COUNTRY ROADS, TAKE ME HOME

TO THE PLACE I BELONG

Committees, assemble! (1/4)

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So, picking up from where we left off last time around, let’s get an overview on these 16.

First up to paint your canvas is Micanvas.

The Micanvas committee organises the annual marketing management festival of MICA, where the best minds in the country meet and face off in an eclectic mix of formal and informal events and competitions. Micanvas is a grand event conducted at a large scale and being a part of this committee gives the students an opportunity to get exposed to marketing, networking, pitching and negotiating.

In at number 2 to blow your minds is MICAMINDS.

MICAMINDS, the research and consultancy cell at MICA strives to create opportunities that fulfil the aspirations of the industry, students and the guiding faculty. The live projects undertaken are an extension of the classroom learning and equip our students with hands-on experience. This two way interaction also offers the client effective marketing solutions and a fresh perspective to the organisation.

“LIT AF” at number 3 is the literary committee at MICA, LitComm.

Every story has a great beginning, an engaging central arc and a memorable end. Be it the organisation of Poetry Festivals or publishing MICA’s literary magazine – Black Coffee. This committee has something for everyone. You get to see your favourite authors share their experiences at ‘Authorspeak’ or compete in games like Taboo and JAM. For those who can channel their inner ‘Mark Anthony’, Mica’s debating society also comes under the purview of LitComm.

SCAMming their way at number 4, SCAM.

The rigour of academia, the effort put into competitions and other events can have quite an impact on the MICAn mind. In comes SCAM – Sports Committee at MICA which literally helps you kick all your stress away. Equipped with the best sporting infrastructure and an inexhaustible sports calendar, SCAM truly keeps its ‘Game Face’ on throughout the year. The cherry on the cake for this committee is its annual festival – SAMAR which takes place in February and attracts sporting enthusiasts from numerous colleges.

The MICAn experience

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The process. We call it the process. It begins from showing an interest in your preferred or favorite committees and ends with you either making it to one or not. It’s no child’s play though. It manages to suck the very life out of you. It brings people closer. It makes you have each others backs. It pushes you to your boundaries, or even beyond. It breaks you even, but hey, it’s beautiful. Sure, you feel like “Aargghhh when is this going to get over?” and “kill me already geez” but at the end of it all, when it is all over, you feel like you’ve learned so much, that you’ve gone through so much and you’ve come out a better and stronger person. And oh isn’t that feeling beautiful.

Time for some gyaan now. The committees here at MICA are divided into two types: formal and informal. The major and easy to comprehend difference is that the formal ones get financial backing from the administration, the informal ones don’t.

There are a number of committees to choose from, each of them enticing enough in their own way, engaging in something so magical that you’ll be sold on that idea right then and there. So, yes, it does get confusing and a bit of a task to decide given there are 16 options so good, you feel it’s unfair to pick just one.

Micanvas, MICAMINDS, LitComm, SCAM, MICAVAANI, Sankalp, MLS, Team Interface, Culcomm, Jagriti, Studio7, PlaceComm, EDC, TEDxMICA, MCSA and AEC, these are the 16 formal committees here at MICA.

“Your committee life constitutes a major chunk of your MICAn experience” I remember hearing this from a senior a few days ago. Now that we know the names of all the committees, the question arises- What do they do and how do they set themselves apart?

More on that in the next one! Until then, stay safe and keep smiling. Cheers!

Laying the groundwork

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What is MICA?

For everyone who does not know about this institution, don’t worry, you aren’t the first or the only one. (Even my parents didn’t know about it till I made the cut, so its okay.) Cutting to the chase, here is some bookish gyaan.

Established in 1991, MICA (formerly known as Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad), is the only residential institute in the country, and perhaps in the Asia-Pacific region, dedicated to creating leadership in Strategic Marketing and Communication.

MICA’s spirit lies in its grasping of contemporary trends and sensibilities, addressing the needs of an ever-changing environment. The MICA brand assures effective delivery of Strategic Marketing and Communication solutions to the industry, government, and community.

Today, it is the alma mater of professionals serving in leadership positions in some of the best known companies in India and the world in marketing, brand management, research & analytics, advertising, media, digital and other related businesses.

So, to sum it up, yes, it is one of the most coveted MBA colleges in the country. But that is MICA for the “aam junta“. You can find this information on their website too, no biggie. But what does MICA mean to its students? What is it that makes their alums say and I quote, “These will be the best 2 years of your life. Period.”

More on this in my next blog, so stay tuned to get some insider information and a MICAn perspective on this.

Perspective

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I remember my first day here at MICA. A new world lay ahead of me and I could not wait to dive deep. Straight outta home for the first time ever, sure I was apprehensive and nervous, for this was the beginning of a new phase in my life. Fresh out of an engineering college and straight into a MBA college, it could not get more cliched than this. It seemed like I was in turn to follow the same old “get good grades- take science- do engineering- do MBA- blah blah blah” road like every other kid. However, here I am, writing this from my hostel room in the middle of the night, realizing how far I’ve come and how wrong I was. And the reason behind this is this place known as MICA.

Some call MICA the Mecca of Marketing. Some call MICA the best Institute to get into for advertising and marketing. Some call MICA the unconventional B-school. Some call MICA the place which perfectly respects, hones, and appreciates the intersection of left brain and right brain.

I call MICA the place which gives you the freedom to explore and discover yourself. It gives you a chance to have a wholesome experience, to play, act, sing, dance, write, try your hand at photography, designing or even radio jockeying.

I call MICA the place that embraces diversity and my oh my do I stand by it. Every batch consists of students from all over India and maintains a healthy sex ratio of 1:1 or even more in favor of women. I’ve spent 2 months here and I still see myself in instances which make me go like “Damn, I could not have thought like that by myself”. Two years here help you build a character, understand and respect different point of views. The diversity is beautiful which helps you in gaining different perspectives.

I call MICA my one big family. MICAns truly believe in unity and communal living. We always have each others back. And we never sleep. The campus bursts to life at night and it is commonplace to stumble upon exciting conversations and join in at any given point of day and night. Don’t be surprised to find a designer, lawyer, dentist and philosophy graduate sitting together discussing how AI is changing the world.

The classes over here are equally vibrant. We are taught subjects like Research, Digital Marketing Analytics, Semiotics and Imagining India that set us apart from the rest. Our professors are some of the best in the business and there is knowledge that can be absorbed from anywhere everywhere.

And the campus? Aah where do I even begin from! A lush green campus, safely tucked away like an exotic resort, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, rich with about 3,500 trees planted all over the campus. It also houses 2 rescued beagles named Frozo and Pfaff, many langoors and about 30 or more peacocks.

So this is the MICA that not many people know about. The current batches love it and the alums fondly remember it as place which gave them the best 2 years of their lives.

Can’t wait to share my next blog with you all where I talk about one of the major factors constituting the MICAn experience, our committees and then one committee in particular.

Looking forward to hear from you all. Until then, wishing you both health and happiness. Cheers!