EMBAs’ Got Talent – Lights, Camera, Auction!

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In what has become an annual tradition, Executive MBA participants in their second year organise a charity fundraiser during Electives week. This year was the turn of the 2018 cohort, who put together this year’s brilliant EMBAs’ Got Talent – Lights, Camera, Auction programme.

Playing instruments.

As the name suggests, the programme included a talent show (open to all!) and a live auction of gifts and experiences generously donated by members of the cohort.

Keen to raise money for a charity supporting education, cohort and organising committee member Michele Ryan, who works in learning and development, suggested Room to Read. According to UNESCO, more than 750 million people are illiterate globally, of which two thirds are women and girls. Room to Read, a UK registered charity, transforms the lives of children through literacy and gender equality in education.

During the event, audience members were treated to brilliant performance by members of present and past cohorts, as well as some special academic guests. The evening commenced with an impressive guitar medley performed by Jochen Runde, Professor of Economics & Organisation, and Edoardo Billoto, member of the 2018 EMBA cohort. Next up was two dazzling vocal performances very different in nature: a magnificent operatic rendition of Porgi Amor from Mozart’s Le Nozza di Figaro by cohort member Naomi Waistell and a stunning version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s With One Look by Luya Duan. The performances were closed by a breath-taking performance of a Chinese ‘green snake’ dance by Fenni Kang. What a talented group!

Our charming hosts for the evening, Charles Churchill, Kamola Mukhmodova and Michele Ryan, facilitated an incredibly successful auction, making sure all pockets had been emptied by closing time! Items of interest available included a beautiful, colourful acrylic on canvas on a peacock, painted by the supremely talent cohort member Dorota Roberts, a bottle of Vega Sicilia Valbuena, Italian recipe baskets, a Chinese umbrella and fan, a signed copy of John Wood’s ‘Creating Room to Read’, and several gift baskets of items from around the world.

A total of £7,500 was raised for Room to Read, including £2,000 matched funding from Barclays. Proceeds were capped off with an anonymous donation of £1,000 from a noble, reticent and generous cohort member.

We were joined by Joanne Rozeik, a representative by Room to Read, who delivered a thought-provoking speech and screened a short film, bringing to life the work completed by the charity. Charity begins at home, and long may it emanate from members of the Cambridge Executive MBA!

We would like to thank everybody who joined us. Special thanks go to chief organisers Ariel Scroggins and Parth Shah: with infectious enthusiasm that knows no bounds, they put together organised a truly special event.        We would also like to thank Demetis Papaprodromou who generously covered the costs for the venue.

“A memorable event for a worthy cause, highly appreciated by the charity it supported!”

Words by Rouha Hussaina and James Meade.

Photos courtesy of Ayobami Olunloyo, Dorota Roberts and Fayez Moidu.

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