By Katlin Sweeney
Editor-in-Chief
Students that are seeking to expand their horizons and dive into new cultures feel right at home in Global Business Management.
GBM is designed for students that want to build a career in business with a global perspective. Students can either go down the marketing or entrepreneurship track, for which they must do foreign study or work experience.
One of the most fascinating aspects about GBM is the Intl. Travel Study program offered through the class GBM 440 C. Taking place this year from May 19 to June 3, the course is a hands-on experience where students travel through Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France during the summer. Here they visit companies like Axel Springer, Hewlett-Packard and Mercedes-Benz for a tour and to learn how they operate. Students will also be sitting in and participating in classrooms in schools like Freie University Berlin, University of Zurich and University of Constance.
This trip is a unique combination of foreign classrooms and behind the scenes of big-name companies. The trip’s faculty leader, Professor Klaus Schryen, asserts that the experience allows students to understand the world on a broader scale. Spending time abroad, understanding other cultures and networking with people in other countries allows students to truly understand what ‘global’ business means.
“The trip shows them how people operate in different parts of the world and how internships work abroad. Students learn how to apply the theoretical to the practical. The world’s economies are not isolated, and each one affects the world,” Schryen said.
In preparation for the trip, students attend a class in April so that they can begin researching the companies and places they will be going to. The sessions will occur on four Fridays for five hours each.
Students have met throughout the semester with Professor Schryen and others that have signed up for the trip to learn more about the trip and receive the full itinerary. The last info session will occur from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5 in Markstein 107.
“Going on the trip opened up my eyes as far as the business aspect and learning about myself. The companies we went to were very well planned out and informative. You could use this rip as a section within your resume that also looks good to employers. I highly suggest it and that you take the opportunity to travel abroad,” CSUSM senior Girard Evalle said.
Other students that had gone on the trip in previous years echoed similar sentiments. They shared how the trip pushed them out of their comfort zone, taught them to be flexible, provided them with real-life skills and allowed them to network with big-name companies. One student mentioned that she even secured an internship out of the trip.
To be eligible for the trip, students must have a minimum 2.75 GPA, have upper-division class level standing and completed Pre-Business Core. Space is limited to attend the trip. For more information, contact Professor Schyren at [email protected].