Short term study away – Page 5 – Global & Experiential Education

A Conversation with Antonia Aguirre Todorov (PMBA ‘20)

bradminerNovember 30, 2020November 30, 2020

G&EE recently caught up with Antonia Aguirre Todorov (PMBA ‘20) to have a conversation about her time at George Washington University School of Business and her participation on our short-term study away programs (STAPs). Read more on the conversation just below -

G&EE: Tell us (and our readers) a little bit about yourself.

Antonia: I am originally from Acapulco, Mexico and have lived in the Washington, D.C. area for three years now. I earned my Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Business Economics from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia and my professional background is in financial services. I participated in two short-term study away programs (STAPs) during my MBA at GWSB: 1) Sweden: Global Business Project: The Innovation Ecosystem and the Internationalization of High-Tech Firms in Stockholm (STAP Sweden) in the Summer 2019 and 2) Spain: Innovation and Technology in Barcelona (STAP Spain) in the Spring 2020.

The STAP Sweden, led by Professor Anna Helm, Associate Teaching Professor of International Business, was an online program over the summer term with the in-country experience in Stockholm. The STAP Barcelona, led by Professor Emerita Mary Granger was an in-person instruction format course over the spring term that switched to fully online in mid-March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, due to the pandemic the international travel portion of the program to Barcelona, Spain was cancelled.

G&EE: How did you hear about the various opportunities through the Global & Experiential Education Offering and what drew your interest to first apply to our programs?

Antonia: I heard about the various opportunities through the various email communications from G&EE office and the marketing materials placed throughout Duques Hall helped reinforce my interest.

G&EE: Tell us about your experience on the STAP Sweden: Global Business Project: The Innovation Ecosystem and the Internationalization of High-Tech Firms in Stockholm in 2019.

Antonia: I selected this program because it offered the opportunity to partake in a real consulting project with an international firm in Sweden. One of the reasons for pursuing an MBA was to learn about consulting so this was a great opportunity.

For this program the theme was sustainable innovation of high-tech firms. Stockholm is a startup hub in Europe, and we studied how the intersection of government, education, and business helps propel business creation. During our in-country 9-day experience, we visited several institutions such as Business Sweden, the Swedish Institute, Swecare, and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. At each site visit, we were welcomed by presenters to help us better understand how business is conducted in Sweden, and how they support their global leadership and image. These visits added significant value to our experience.

In preparation for the course, Dr. Helm assigned cultural readings about Swedish society and consulting strategies by Dr. Paul Friga, author of “The McKinsey Mind”. The most engaging aspect of the class was our weekly team meetings and client meetings. We were fortunate to have a very responsive client, an important factor to help clarify our objectives for our final report and recommendations.

G&EE: What was your global business project and the global partner you worked with in Sweden. How did it help you grow personally or professionally? Did this experience impact your future professional goals?

Antonia: My team worked with Bluewater Group, a startup offering high-quality water purifiers seeking strategies to enter the US market. Working on this project involved identifying potential target markets, effective marketing channels, and potential partners in the United States. Regarding my professional goals, this project provided me with consulting experience, which is crucial for MBA students looking to enter the (consulting) industry.

G&EE: Prior to this program, did you ever visit Sweden? How did your time on the program compare to your expectations or past experience?

Antonia: I had not visited Scandinavia before (this program), but it definitely exceeded my expectations. Dr. Helm curated the assignments carefully to make sure we initiated the cultural immersion before meeting our clients and traveling to Stockholm. Understanding the culture, business etiquette, and common misconceptions about the host country made sure students avoid issues and helped move the project forward. This was my first STAP and international consulting experience, therefore I expected the interactions would be rigorous business and low client availability; however, the client was very receptive, responsive to requests, and flexible to attend our meetings.

G&EE: Tell us about your experience on the STAP Spain: Innovation and Technology in Barcelona in 2020.

Antonia: I selected this program to learn more about entrepreneurship and innovation abroad. Prof. Granger’s approach to learn from entrepreneurs themselves provided us with the opportunity to ask questions for those of us considering this career path. This was a different way to learn but quite effective to foster creativity.

The theme was innovation and entrepreneurship based in Barcelona. Our learning focused on entrepreneurship, for which we researched a Barcelona-based startup and created our own venture along with a pitch. To prepare us for this experience, Prof. Granger arranged for guest speakers in the DC area to lecture. We learned from entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and top academics from ESADE in Barcelona (virtually). Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 travel to Spain was cancelled over spring break and our class continued in a virtual format. Once our class switched to virtual, we continued to have guest speakers share their knowledge with us until the final project deliverable.

Overall, one of the most engaging aspects of the program was having direct access entrepreneurs willing to share their experience with MBA students.

G&EE: Cultural immersion leads to the enhancement of transferable skills (flexibility, teamwork, leadership, listening, communication, problem solving, critical thinking). Reflecting on your experiences abroad, what are one or two transferable skills you improved and provide a brief anecdote about it.

Antonia: One skill I developed further was cultural awareness. I travelled to Europe as a tourist many times and resided short-term in Eastern Europe, but my international business exposure needed developing. After completing the STAP Sweden, I have a better understanding of what constitutes the Swedish way when it comes to making decisions: it requires consensus from the team and the process can take longer.

G&EE: You participated in a wide range of mobility programs all around the world! Do you have a favorite memory or experience in all of your travels? Did you travel anywhere else during your free time?

Antonia: While I registered to participate in three STAPs during my MBA program I was only able to travel for one – Sweden. For Spain (Spring 2020) and the United Kingdom (Summer 2020), travel did not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the Sweden program, my favorite experience was travelling by ferry to Sandhamn Island to visit our client’s desalination plant. It was great to see the Swedish archipelago that way. During our free time, I enjoyed having fika – the Swedish coffee break- at local coffee shops while working on my assignments. Being able to see City Hall, where the Nobel Prize banquet takes place each year, from my hotel window did not hurt either.

Sandhamn Island in Sweden — Houses on Sandhamn Island

G&EE: Reflecting your overall experience on the mobility programs, what are some key observations, takeaways, and pieces of advice you would give to prospective/current GWSB students?

Antonia: Participating in the G&EE programs offered you international business experience and educational exposure in a very convenient format. The courses are intensive since we have to accommodate client meetings in different time zones, conduct extensive research on behalf of the client, and complete your deliverables. As program participants, students learn by doing, a skill that prospective employers find valuable. In addition, working with your team and classmates abroad full-time creates a unique fellowship that prevails long after the course is completed. To increase your chances for admission, be on the lookout for the G&EE programs as soon as the semester starts to prepare your application because the selection is competitive.

Learn more about the Short-Term Study Away Programs (STAPs).

Development Through a New Lens: Impact Investing in Rwanda

bradminerJune 1, 2020November 20, 2020

Below is Nicole Carney’s (GSEHD ’20) reflection of her experience on the short-term study away program (STAP), Rwanda: Global Business Project: Impact Investments in SMEs. The course was taught by Dr. Reid Click, Associate Professor of International Business, and involved an international travel to Kigali, Rwanda during the academic spring break in 2019.

When I applied to G&EE’s short-term study away program (STAP) to Rwanda in the fall of 2018, I was just beginning my graduate career and trying to make sense of the path I was forging for myself. As a master’s candidate studying international education in George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD), I was stepping outside of my comfort zone by applying to a program in the School of Business. To be honest, when I applied for the program, I did not know much about impact investing or even the necessary elements of an investment memorandum but was looking to learn and expand my skillset.

I saw this STAP as an opportunity to view development through another lens and visit a nation that I had conducted a substantial amount of research on in my own master’s program. At this point in my academic career my research focus area had primarily revolved around education as a peacebuilding tool in post-conflict settings, with Rwanda being a prime case study. However, I knew peacebuilding could not be solely attributed to strengthening education systems. Any international development project, no matter the sector, does not just take place in a vacuum and I saw this as an opportunity to learn more about the businesses that have contributed to the economic growth of the country.

I had been to Africa years prior but had never experienced the lush green hills of Rwanda in person. I was blown away by the city center in Kigali and how it was becoming a business epicenter for the continent and true development model for neighboring nations. Also, I could not get enough of the Akabanga hot sauce. Seriously I put that on everything. However, I was there with a specific goal, to assess the status of a designated agricultural cooperative and deem whether it was ready for investment. I took this time to study my classmates in action, practicing the very business skills they had acquired at GWSB and apply it to a real-life scenario. As a non-business student, I was able to learn from the business students and let them take the lead when it came to asking about financial statements, something I wasn’t confident in myself.

However, I do hope they gained something from my participation as well. Throughout our various site visits and business meetings I believe I came in with a different mindset than some of my classmates. They may have asked the questions about return on investment, but my questions were centered on the learning potential that could accompany various activities. During a business visit to the East Africa Exchange (EAX), a commodities exchange, they told our class about a mobile application they developed to track trading and receipts. I asked whether they had considered integrating a knowledge-sharing piece into the application, so farmers could be connected to share best practices. Ultimately, there are many key elements needed for economic prosperity in a nation, and education is one of them.

Overall, I want to say “murakoze” (thank you in Kinyarwanda) to Dr. Click and the Global and Experiential Education (G&EE) for allowing me to partake in this business project and the impact it has made on my career path.

Nicole Carney is a graduate from the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD – ’20) and holds a Master’s in International Education.

The Investment Continues: Reflections on a Global Business Project: The Impact Investments in Rwanda

bradminerMay 19, 2020

Christophe De Montille served as a Student Administrative Assistant for Global Business Project: Impact Investments in Rwanda course, taught by Dr. Reid Click, Associate Professor of International Business. Due to the university’s restriction of international travel in response to COVID-19, this course was adapted to an online format just days before the program was set to depart for Kigali, Rwanda.

Below is Christophe’s reflection on the course’s continuation.

About a week before our planned departure to Kigali, Rwanda, GW announced the decision to cancel international travel for faculty, staff and students due to COVID-19. At the time of the decision, there was unexpected disbelief and frustration that the short-term study away program (STAP) would not be as planned. Over the next week, international flights would be cancelled, and country-wide lockdowns would be instituted across the globe. Little did we know (at the time) that the unexpected disbelief and frustration would give way to unprecedented understanding and relief as faculty, staff, and students accepted the new realities of the global pandemic.

Kayonza Rice Production, Ltd. One of the Rwandan companies the students researched for investment.

In spite of this setback, faculty and students cleared their mindset and came together to continue the examination of small and medium-sized enterprises in Rwanda for potential community and financial investment. Although the class was no longer able to travel to Kigali, Rwanda, the students would still have a unique opportunity to work with an experienced client, Ashlye A. Stewart, Founder of ASER Capital LLC. After careful consultation with G&EE, Dr. Reid Click, , and myself ., the decision was made to continue the project. The class would continue to be conducted virtually, and the students would finish the semester by virtually delivering Investment Memoranda to Ashlye and her Investment Committee.

As both the United States and Rwanda entered lock down, the transition to a virtual impact investing course took place. Unable to visit the Rwandan companies, the course pivoted to focus more intently on the impact investing process and specifically how to conduct due diligence. Our student-consultants were provided extensive financial, business, and industry-specific documents in a virtual data room. After the students were able to analyze the documents, Ashlye, Dr. Click, and I met with each student group to provide direction on what should be included in each investment memorandum.

A screenshot of one of the classes virtual sessions.

Class-wide and group-specific sessions were held, and each group was able to refine and hone their final deliverables. The students were encouraged to think outside the box to develop questions that could be taken back to each Rwandan company as part of future due diligence. In addition, students were encouraged to cross-collaborate between teams to have an understanding of how different businesses are structured within Rwanda. The students diligently solved unanswered challenges and developed future questions that would need to be discussed with each business Rwanda. At the final investment presentation, each student was able to discuss their findings and answer the question, “With what you know today, would you invest in this company?” While the students weren’t able to examine the companies in-person, the project still allowed each student to gain significant insight and experience into company due diligence in emerging markets and make an actionable recommendation.

Christophe De Montille is a ’20 Global MBA Candidate at the George Washington University School of Business

Study Abroad in Isolation: Exploring Technology and Innovation in Barcelona, Spain from Home

carneyn16May 8, 2020May 8, 2020

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.