What an experience this program has been! I was a student on the France Business Trip led by Dr. Marco Rossi, and it has been one of the most beneficial experiences of my life. There have been so many lessons learned inside and outside the classroom, but all relate back to being able to understand, interact, and excel in new cultures and environments, in conjunction with your functional area of business. These are essential skills needed for employees of a successful international business. These skills are an important nuance that distinguishes business on an international level, as compared to a domestic level. To specify, a few of the skills highlighted during our lectures were communication and the ability to understand different organizational structures.
If you reflect on your own country and experiences within College Station even, it is easy to recognize that individuals prefer different communication styles, which can apply to when they are receiving assignments, performance evaluations, feedback, etc. Now imagine that you are a part of a multi-national corporation, and you are dealing with personnel from a culture completely different than yours. It is obvious that you must be cognizant of these differences and adjust your communication to allow the most effective and efficient communication that builds trust and respect between you and your international peers. One of the best ways to gain a skill such as this is to put yourself in the position to learn and practice interacting with those from other cultures, with different perspectives, or other countries, which is an opportunity this trip provides.
Next, it is important to understand the organizational structure of a corporation and its governing bodies to truly comprehend the way in which the company and its employees act and perform. On this trip, we had the opportunity to learn about the European Union, including its history, human rights, and climate change, as well as visit crucial institutions such as the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the Bank for International Settlements. The manner in which the EU institutions were formed and are maintained are remarkably interesting and the history and perspective help to understand more about the companies they impact and the citizens they influence with their decisions.
On top of this, we had our international finance class with Dr. Marco Rossi to help teach us the essential components, such as formulas, effects, and theories, of finance for multi-national corporations. This trip has advanced my knowledge and mindset, along with my human capital by cultivating and strengthening my hard and soft skills that employers are after. To conclude, if you are looking for an experience that will expand your life personally, professionally, and in so many other ways you cannot anticipate, please consider this program, as it is truly a worthwhile, once-in-a-lifetime experience!
