Of all the places I visited in Italy during the CIBS Italy Summer Study Abroad Trip, Rome was my favorite. I am a huge fan of Roman mythology and history, and Rome is the center of it all. There are tons of sources for Roman mythology and history out there, so I won’t bore you with all of it, but I do have a few highlights to help you understand how impactful Rome still is today.
For example, our planets are all named after Roman gods. For example, Mercury was the messenger of the gods, and the god of travel, mischief, and thieves. Many of our months are also named after significant figures in Rome. For example, January is named in honor of Janus, the god of doorways and archways, symbolizing beginnings and endings. I think this is quite fitting for the month of January. The point is that Rome is a huge deal. It was the center of the Roman Empire, which was so great that we still see remnants of it every single day. Literally.
However, before we visited Rome, we learned how the greatest empire in all of history fell. As we learned about all Rome accomplished before the fall, it really hit home that while we talk about how great the United States is, how it is a leading power, and how no one can ever touch it, Rome already did, and we will never come close. And if a power as great as Rome fell, then how are we supposed to avoid it?
This is what made learning about Cultural Intelligence in IBUS 310 so important. We learned about not only the history of Rome and its fall, but also why it fell, and how we could possibly prolong the United States’ run through Global Leadership and Cultural Intelligence. After taking the course now, I think the most important quality we need to focus on is adaptability. Today, the world is becoming more and more globalized, and there is no avoiding it. We need to be able to adapt to the changing landscape of the world. We must not only be willing to work with people from other countries but approach our interactions with people from different cultures with cultural drive, knowledge, strategy, and action to remain successful.
I highly recommend that all business students who have a chance to study abroad do so to build a more global mindset, especially if they want to be leaders in their industries. Even if they do not have the chance to study abroad, I still highly recommend they take IBUS 310 or a course similar to it.
