Report From Abroad
May Term 2008 Undergrad Trips
Olympic Moment: China
Trip Leaders, Chris Tong and Brian Jorgensen, traveled with students to China as it prepared for its Olympic moment. The 2008 May term trip to China was an incredible success, according to Brian. The faculty and students were able to enjoy Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing, as well as a three-day cruise on the magnificent Yangtze River, where they traveled through the world-renowned "Three Gorges" and saw the world's largest dam. The last-day visit to the Great Wall was another highlight. Brian said, everyone on the trip was grateful for the opportunity to get to know China and its wonderful people through touring, visits to businesses, and free time activities.
Tale of 2 Cities: London and Paris
John Watkins, Richard Chapman, and students explored London and Paris. Watkins observed: “Europe was unbelievably expensive—$7 for a bottle of water in Paris, $8 for a beer in London, $16 for a burger and chips, and $10 for a gallon of gas. Returning home, you realize the U.S. is really inexpensive.”
Spring 2008 MBA International Trips
Eastern Europe
Thirty-nine MBA students, led by Jerry Van Os and Aric Krause, traveled to Central Europe and visited Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. In addition to having a unique cultural experience, graduate students conducted seven business and education visits to Skoda Ironworks, Amati, Pitney-Bowes, and AKG Acoustics, ING, the U.S. Embassy, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.
Brazil: From Rio to Rainforest
Goldman Sachs has predicted that by 2050, Brazil will be one of four countries dominating the global economy. Last year, it was the only major nation to achieve energy independence. Mike Keene and Melissa Koerner took MBA students on an astounding journey to witness the awesome power of the Iguassu Falls, the lingering European influence in Curitiba, and the cosmopolitan energy of Rio. According to Mike, visiting the cities and firms in Brazil was the perfect way to gain a greater understanding of sustainable development strategies, while considering the more general contemporary issues surrounding international business. Melissa said that meeting face-to-face with Brazilian business people was an eye opening experience and that the trip gave insights about an important emerging market and the challenges they are up against.
Cambodia, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen
Alysse Morton and Ryan Hessenthaler guided grad students on an unforgettable excursion to Cambodia and Southern China. Alysse said the MBA trip was a wonderful mix of cultural, international, and humanitarian awareness. Highlights included visiting a rice farm, witnessing the devastation of the Pol Pot Regime, and exploring the temples in Siem Reap. Ryan added "Cambodia: Magical, sobering, vibrant, emerging... overwhelming evidence of the resilience of the human spirit. Trip of a lifetime!"
