As we near the end of the fall semester, some of you may be starting to think about opportunities to study abroad. The Poole College of Management offers many opportunities that are semester long, year long, and even a few summer programs. Summer programs are ideal for those who have busy schedules during the year, or for those who want to get ahead in classes. Poole College has seven different summer programs to choose from that vary from three to six weeks. The three week programs are in the month of May, which is perfect for those seeking a summer internship as well. Both of the three week programs offered are in Argentina, which is where I went this past May.
In May of 2016, I participated in the International Marketing Program in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This program consisted of two courses; International Marketing (BUS 464) and Doing Business in Latin America (M 298). Both classes were taught as they would be at NC State, however M 298 included a guest lecturer from the partnered university, Universidad de San Andres.In addition to these courses we also had the opportunity to visit an estancia, which is an Argentine ranch, and we were able to experience traditional Argentine food and meat that were produced at the estancia we visited. We also visited Tenaris, a steel pipe manufacturer for oil rigs, and traveled to Mendoza, Argentina’s wine country, to learn about different business processes and marketing techniques. These activities were included in the program, however there were many opportunities for personal excursions which we all took full advantage of.
Studying in Argentina not only provided me with an unforgettable learning experience, but a group of new friends that I probably would have not gotten the chance to know otherwise. We all actually still message in our group chat months after our trip. After all, we were together 24 hours a day for three weeks. Many of us all went to lunch together as soon as we were settled in our apartments and then were able to explore the city together.
One of my favorite memories was going to the San Telmo market with a couple other students. The market made up of many city blocks full of all types of vendors selling handmade items and antiques. I was able to get gifts for my family and friends, including a handmade knife for my dad. I am particularly proud of that gift because the man who made and sold the knife spoke absolutely no English, and I speak very little Spanish, but somehow I was able to negotiate a price and buy it with no help. Being in Argentina definitely helped my Spanish speaking skills, which is another reason you should go abroad, especially if you are studying a second language.
This upcoming year there will be a Purchasing and Supply Chain Management Program in addition to the Marketing program and they will run at the same time. They will run from May 11th to June 3rd, which allows those who want to have an internship or take other summer classes to do so.
The other five programs take place in Reutlingen, Germany; Sevilla, Spain; Shanghai, China; Piacenza, Italy; and Stuttgart, Germany. In these programs, participants take nine credits worth of courses which are all related to fields within Poole College. Again, summer programs are a great way to get ahead and take classes that you would already have to take, but gain so much more from them. I feel that I retained more information from my classes abroad than I have from my classes in Nelson 3400. The hands-on experiences, smaller classroom population, and the relationship you build with your professor make it so much easier to learn and succeed in your courses. The courses were still just as challenging, if not more challenging than being at home because of the different environment and it is at a much faster pace. In addition to the faster pace, there are a ton of things to explore and do, so time management can also be a challenge. However, it is easier to work in a group, study, and consult with your professor because everyone is in close proximity.
While you are traveling to study, you are also traveling to have fun and experience a different culture. Check out everything Poole College’s summer study opportunities have to offer at https://goo.gl/9mns4s!
