Sweden, Marketing, GWSB Sweden Study abroad, Summer 2018.
Blog post written by Kevin Saladino.
As a student, the concept of a “Study Abroad” program has always appealed to me. Though I did not have the opportunity to do so in undergraduate school, nor in my first master’s program due to a locally based cohort, my chance has now come thanks to my involvement in the professional MBA.
As a business owner, I believe it is important to be able to work with people in person. When I was informed that GWU offered the program to Sweden and to consult with Volvo, I made the effort to sign up for the journey.
Being a remote student for the most part is a difficult experience in and of itself and in preparing for a study abroad it is no different. I have made the required trip to meet my classmates and to attend class, though now that I have met them it is even more difficult to be away thanks to the level of detail required in our work. My group meshes so well and everyone in it works very hard, is professional and strives to deliver a stellar product for Volvo. I am anticipating not only more challenge, but also the ability to grow more as a student and as business professional.
I chose this program because as a business owner, I seek to know more about how businesses in other countries differ, operationally from those located in the USA. In addition, I wanted to meet (and possibly work with) executives representing a foreign firm. As an aside, I am a fan of Volvo and their engineering; this trip seems like it would be a slam dunk.
Because I am an online student, I find I am missing in-person interaction and the cohesiveness of groups. I hope to gain more experience with working with others and in an in pers
on consulting environment on large projects such as the Sweden study abroad program. I am also anticipating the ability to polish my speaking skills and will have the opportunity to interact with a differing culture and country-another one of my goals in the program. Volvo is a mature and well respected firm that has years of expertise and speaks to me on a personal level. Even though the automotive industry does not exactly mesh perfectly with my finance background, I am seeking to gain more experience with a larger firm, helping them attain their organizational goals.
