-- History --
History of AIESEC
At the time of AIESEC's founding at the conclusion of the 1940s, Europe was in the midst of recovery from the war that dealt grave losses to its population. Factories and enterprises were in desperate need of executives, managers and leaders. The continent needed more than just business development, however; the war had severely damaged relations between European nations, and many members of the community felt steps needed to be taken to address this problem.
AIESEC was formed to address both of these concerns. Students from seven nations: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden came together in March 1949 for the first International Congress of AIESEC in Stockholm. The founders composed a constitution for the new organization and defined a purpose:
"AIESEC is an independent, non-political, and international organization which has as its purpose to establish and promote the friendly relations between the members..."
In the first year of AIESEC's existence, 89 students were exchanged among the member nations. The organization grew exponentially in the following years. More than 1,000 traineeships took place in 1955 alone, and in 1957 the United States became the first non-European member.
Since those humble beginnings, AIESEC has spread out into over 90 countries. AIESEC's members have been recognized by world leaders from Pope Paul VI to former U.S. president George H.W. Bush. The organization has also shown a proven track record of leadership development, with notable alumni like former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and ex-Land's End CEO Michael Smith.
AIESEC today is the world's largest student-run organization. More importantly, we continue to strive toward our original goals and to fulfill our mission through exchange and leadership development. We continue to be dedicated to cultural understanding and, by forging a new generation of leaders who are passionate about our causes, believe the next 50 years of our history will be still more distinguished than the first.
The Georgia Tech chapter of AIESEC, founded in 1988, hosts a variety of events fostering international understanding and cultural exchange in the Tech community, sends local students abroad on paid internships, and supports students from other nations who come to Atlanta on exchanges.