By Mahamed Mohamud
Junior, Brandeis University
“Hello! My name is Mahamed Mohamud, and I am a 20-year-old first-generation, third-year student studying biology and health/ science, society, and policy (also known as public health at other college institutions) on the pre-medical track.” This is the beginning of my elevator pitch that I practiced and improved upon along with other students participating in FirstGen Ahead.
On February 27th, we rehearsed our elevator pitches in front of an audience of four FirstGen Ahead coaches and each other. During this one-hour session, we received individualized feedback from a coach after delivering our 30 – 60 second pitches. The constructive feedback we received related both to the content of what was said and how it was delivered. Afterward, students were given the chance to reflect on the feedback received and practice it again in front of the coaches. The purpose of this session was to practice our public speaking skills and to create pitches that are concise, emphasize the professional highlights of our academic and life experiences, and answer two important questions that personalize our pitches – “Why?” (why do I want to do what I want to do) and “So what?” (why is that important).
I prepared for this event in two ways. I initially met with Dr. Lois Benishek to get critical feedback on the first draft of my elevator pitch. She gave me useful advice that I would later incorporate into the elevator pitch I would present at the feedback session. Additionally, several days before this event, I took the liberty to practice executing the pitch to make sure I felt comfortable when it was my turn to present.
Due to my willingness to participate, I was able to learn a lot of important lessons from this event that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise. I learned that it is totally fine to have a conventional elevator pitch that doesn’t have to be too flashy or out of the ordinary depending on the context. That is, it’s okay to start by saying hi, your name, and where you go to college. Additionally, I learned that arguably the most important part of your pitch should include the specific motivations for your passion – the answers to how and why you love to do what you do.
Lastly, I want to end by saying how truly grateful I am to FirstGen Ahead for facilitating this event. This was the first time that I had an opportunity to make a personal elevator pitch in a setting that mirrored an interview setting. It has been such a useful experience, one that I will be able to carry with me for the rest of my life.
