With the new launch of the KPUMA network, we thought you should meet the current President of the KPUMA: Alex Camilleri.
How have your past experiences shaped you for the president role at the KPUMA?
The reason I got into the KPUMA was because of my experience with event marketing. I did go to BCIT for a certificate event marketing. And I’ve also done work with blueprint events in Vancouver for the Contact Music Festival in the park and all of their club events. I’ve also helped plan and execute a marketing strategy for a charity music festival for two years called Impact festival. So pretty much a combination of my event experience got me into the KPUMA. My president role came from my enthusiasm and dedication I had for the club.
What is your favourite moment or story during your time at the KPUMA?
I was happy just being a part of the association but I was offered the president role very early on. After the first few weeks of showing how engaged I was and how committed I was to the team I was offered my president role. I’ve only been part of the KPUMA really since the end of June so it’s not been too long.
What’s something you’d like to say to people new to the KPUMA?
I applaud and respect their initiative to become more involved with their school and take their learning and engagement beyond just going to class every day, and getting the grades and leaving. I’m excited to have them part of the association as members and I feel that they’ll gain a lot of value and give them a bit of an edge.
What’s something you’d like people to know about you?
As long as you have the drive to do what you’re doing, you can accomplish anything, because right now some people may not know I work, and this is in particular for the students that work full time. I work full time. I take three courses, and I’m the president of the association. Yeah I’d say for people that are feeling a bit overwhelmed and you’re not alone. As you have the drive and willpower you can do a lot of things. People might assume that I have a lot of time to be the president. But I really don’t have a lot of time, but I make it happen and I make it work. Along with having a personal life so yeah I’d say that just finding that right balance.
What is a problem KPU marketing students deal with that you want to fix?
I want to help find ways that we can apply what we learn in our classes, and kind of take it to the next level and apply it in real life settings. I’d say the main problem really is building hands-on experience and especially right now with COVID we’ve lost a lot of ways to meet other professionals.
Right now that’s what we’re really trying to do with our new LinkedIn group called the KPUMA network. We’re trying to leverage this platform that we have, which is LinkedIn, which is free for everybody. And we have generous people who are giving their time that are working in the industry, and I kind of want to use that to make new connections.
What is your favourite colour?
My favourite colour used to be red but it’s blue now. That’s probably because that’s the colour of my car, electric blue.
What’s your favourite quote?
If you’ve ever seen the movie Gladiator, there’s this point where he’s in the Coliseum and everyone’s expecting him to lose and he pretty much exceeds everyone’s expectations and then he says, “Are you not entertained?” That’s, that’s my favourite.
I just feel like it just kind of speaks of when everyone’s kind of expecting you to lose and not succeed so you power through just to show everybody what you’re capable of.
What are your top three favourite podcast books or movies?
TV Show: You
Movie: Gladiator
Podcast: Raptors Over Everything
Book: Rapture (Basketball Coach’s Journey)