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Participating in a hospitality consulting project seemed pretty straightforward. Then, COVID-19 hit.

This spring my International Business Strategy class, taught by Professor Laura D’Antonio, was given the unique opportunity to do a virtual consulting project with Marriott International. We were tasked with researching and presenting recommendations for Marriott’s growth strategy in the Asia Pacific region over the next five years. Despite the nerve-racking high stakes of working with a real client, my classmates and I were thrilled for the chance to engage in hands-on learning. 

When the course started in January 2020, COVID-19 hadn’t yet reached pandemic status. The virus didn’t even have a name. Soon after we began, however, it became evident that the effects of the pandemic’s disruption on the global hospitality industry would be unignorable and long-lasting. 

Over the course of the project we worked closely with members of the Hong Kong-based Marriott International Asia Pacific leadership team including the Sr. Director of the Strategy Management Office and the Chief Financial Officer. Gregg Rockett, a GWSB lecturer and industry expert, also provided valuable insights by critiquing our projects and hosting an informative webinar on hospitality industry finance. 

Throughout the semester, Professor D’Antonio worked closely with the Marriott team to refine the scope of our projects in light of the evolving pandemic. My team pivoted our focus from analyzing expansion opportunities to predicting new opportunities arising from changes in post-COVID consumer behavior. We analyzed similar shifts in consumer behavior following other global crises such as the 2003 SARS pandemic and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, and our findings were able to inform our recommendations as well as our classmates’ projects. 

The pandemic’s evolution certainly threw a wrench into the planned course of this engagement. Fortunately, we knew from the beginning that we needed to be adaptable when working with a live client and Professor D’Antonio had prepared us to succeed amid ambiguity from Day 1. 

Ultimately, the challenges experienced from engaging in this project-based learning experience during COVID-19 created a more rich, unique and meaningful learning experience for myself and my classmates. 

Nicole Fitchett  is a ’21 MBA Candidate at The George Washington University School of Business.

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How do you study abroad from home?

As with many facets of post-COVID life, students participating in Global and Experiential Education’s (G&EE) short-term study away program (STAP) Spain: Technology and Innovation in Barcelona were required to be incredibly adaptable on short notice. Within 24 hours before the first student was to depart the United States for Spain, the university announced cancellation of all international travel for students, faculty, and staff. 

In collaboration with G&EE, Dr. Mary Granger, Professor Emerita of Information Systems & Technology Management; Dr. Nina McGarry, Adjust Professor of Information Systems & Technology Management; and I as the Student Administrative Assistant worked to create a new syllabus for this now virtual course. The show would go on!

Amidst the other, arguably more serious disruptions to work life, family life, and personal routine, it was reassuring to know that the students would still be able to complete the course for full credit, albeit in a revised format and far from the Catalan capital. For many students, being able to complete a revised version of this course allowed them to stay on track for their graduation at the end of the Spring 2020 semester.      

While the physical limitations of the class might not have allowed the students to experience the in-person environments of the start-ups we were due to visit, the online learning format did end up uniquely contributing to the course in a meaningful way. Rather than the usual half-hour visit, students got the chance to spend two hours (virtually) with each entrepreneur, including: Kathy Korman Frey, Founder, The Hot Mammas Project; Alan Patterson, Founder of Boxstore Split Buddy; Ken Huntsman, Angel Investor and co-founder of America Online; and Joan-Albert Garcia Moga, Associate Professor at ESADE Business and Law School. The shared trials of social distancing allowed for common ground and richer conversation. The extended timeline of the course furthermore allowed students to spend a full month developing their own startup pitches, rather than a short week.

Ultimately, the students were able to experience the role of technology and innovation in adapting to changing circumstances firsthand. I'm confident that when the world finds its "new normal," they will      be able to leverage the resilience, adaptability, and entrepreneurial spirit developed during this time to make great change.

Nicole Fitchett served as Student Administrative Assistant for GW’s Spain: Technology and Innovation in Barcelona course and is a ’21 MBA Candidate at the George Washington University School of Business.

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Upon learning that the Consulting Abroad Program (CAP) would not include travel to South Africa in May, students and faculty alike were understandably disappointed. There would be no in-person visits to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. No late evenings perfecting the presentations at the hotel in Cape Town. No opportunity to meet face to face with the clients at Cenfri, Discovery, Darling Sweet and Lulalend. However, as the Student Administrative Assistant supporting this program, I have been very pleased at how everyone involved in CAP, from students and faculty, to Global Partners and guest advisers, have demonstrated commitment to ensuring the success of the program.

A screenshot of team Lulalend's final presentation deck. 

This occurred because G&EE swiftly decided the program would continue to the fullest extent possible via distance learning. Communication between the students and the Global Partners, which is always done virtually throughout the semester, has continued with minimal interruption. The students have been working diligently to provide valuable recommendations and insights to their clients. Faculty, Student Administrative Assistants, and guest speakers have remained committed to setting the students up to succeed.

Throughout CAP, students gain hands-on experience practicing some of the most important 21st century business skills, such as teamwork, communication, client engagement, satisfying requirements from multiple stakeholders, and presentational speaking. In addition, students have also gained skills working with a variety of virtual communication platforms including Blackboard Collaborate, WebEx, Adobe Connect. Proficiency with these tools will undoubtedly be in high demand, even as life slowly returns to normal.

On April 20th G&EE hosted the virtual Panel Presentations, during which each student team presented their preliminary findings to a group of experts. The South Africa cohort was especially fortunate, as they received feedback and guidance from professionals from Deloitte, the World Bank, and the Embassy of South Africa. As I write this, the students are hard at work incorporating this new advice and putting the finishing touches on their reports and presentations. Although the presentations were delivered virtually, GWSB’s strong professional connections and alumni network in DC were instrumental in securing the evaluators’ participation.

It has certainly been a challenging semester, both inside and outside the classroom. People often say that what really matters in life is not what happens, but how you react to it. Everyone involved in CAP has been very resilient, and I am confident that the students have learned a great deal during the process. Next week, the students will deliver final presentations to their Global Partners, and we will conclude with a virtual happy hour. Although we will be unable to celebrate in South Africa, hopefully we can bring a bit of South Africa’s spirit to DC. Virtually, of course.

Mike Bonfatto is a ‘20 Global MBA Candidate at The George Washington University School of Business.

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The Arizona: Business of Spring-Training Baseball short-term study away program was designed to offer insights into the economics and social impact of Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training in Phoenix, Arizona - home of the Cactus League. The course led by Professor Mark Hyman, Assistant Teaching Professor of Management & Tourism Studies with the support of the Office of Global & Experiential Education (G&EE) covered the profitability of spring training games, the public investment decisions factored into facility projects, and the changing demographics of fans amid tailwinds such as advanced data metrics and sports betting.

 At the beginning of the course, students read pertinent baseball novels and conducted secondary research on their respective research topics. The bi-weekly campus meetings were a chance to learn about the students’ findings and connect with relevant guest speakers such as author of Under the March Sun, Charles Fountain; Mickey Shupin, MLB Director of International Events; and Teddy Dwork, Washington Nationals Accounting Coordinator.

Due to unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19, travel to Arizona was unfortunately canceled and it was up to the unified and prompt response of G&EE and Professor Hyman to continue a meaningful educational experience for the students. During these uncertain times, the G&EE office provided a sense of assurance by backing the students in returning program fees and refunding sunken costs for non-refundable flights. Fortunately, the students have been able to continue research thanks to our seamless integration into remote learning. Despite the students not being able to travel to Arizona to conduct site-visits and meet professionals firsthand, they still have been able to experience many #OnlyatGW moments.

Students continued conducting interviews online with key MLB stakeholders to contribute to their ongoing research during the pandemic. Speakers that have been able to contribute to the oral history of this contemporary research project include Los Angeles Angels Manager, Joe Maddon; Chicago White Sox Owner and GWSB BA ‘57 alum, Jerry Reinsdorf; Scottsdale, AZ Mayor, Jim Lane; and Executive Director, Cactus League Baseball Association Inc., Bridget Binsbacher.

In addressing future G&EE Student Administrative Assistants (SAAs), I would summarize this opportunity as a chance to support the inner workings of a once-in-a-lifetime experiential course offered at GW. These courses encapsulate what an #OnlyatGW moment is:  an opportunity to connect a diverse student body with similar interests. I implore prospective SAAs to stay connected with G&EE as well as have a vested interest in the learning outcomes of students in these unparalleled course offerings.

Jonathan Prete is a Senior at The George Washington University School of Business majoring in Finance.

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