Axel Bjallerstedt
SIS student 2012-2017 (Grade 8-12)
Do have any particular memories of your time at SIS that you’d like to share?
I have countless wonderful memories that I was able to share with my friends and classmates in the tight-knit community that is SIS both inside and outside of the classroom.
What did you gain from taking part in clubs and activities at SIS?
The clubs and activities I was involved in include: M.U.N., Anti-Bullying Film Competition Winner, and Basketball Team Captain. I also led Student Council with its community philanthropy efforts. For example, I organized a holiday season fundraiser in support of Fånga Framtiden Tillsammans, a Stockholm-based non-profit known for their pro-integration work in the refugee community.
Through these clubs and activities, I was able to utilize and develop my leadership skills early and set a foundation for future experiences. I see skillsets as a continuous learning process where I try to be self-reflective and actively improve as I progress in my professional career and in life.
What are you doing now?
I recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BBA. I majored in Management Consulting at the Mendoza College Business there. My experiences abroad sparked my passion for business and impact entrepreneurship, and its importance in scaling up social impact and creating shared value.
Since August 2021, I have been interning as a business analyst at the digital startup Local Purse, a live-video platform that provides a virtual traveling and online shopping experience that is cultural, personalized, and environmentally sustainable. Local Purse supports entrepreneurs globally within the tourism industry by providing them with e-commerce opportunities during the pandemic and as we transition into a post-pandemic society.
What influence did your time at SIS have on your career so far?
The diverse community and the mentoring from a number of my teachers helped me to sustainably build the right mindset and a relevant skillset. At SIS, I was put in an environment where I could engage with people from around the globe with unique perspectives. A lot of my academic and professional career so far has involved group work, and so SIS put me in a position where I could develop the communication and collaborative skills to thrive in these experiences.
What advice would you offer current SIS students?
My advice to current (and future) SIS students: learn about yourself. Take the time to stop and think about what you really want to do. Surround yourself with people that you enjoy and around whom you naturally learn about the things you want to learn. Dig deep and decide what would be most fulfilling to the future you, because you will slowly shape into a newer version of yourself in these next years.
