Hello, everyone. I am Steve, a second-year MBA from South Korea. It has been almost two years since I began studying here in New Orleans, and now I am waiting for the graduation ceremony held two weeks later. When I look back on the past two years, the time seems to have flown by so fast. Most of all, I would like to talk about the global leadership course and the field trip to China.
In fact, the global leadership course was the main reason why I decided to apply for the Freeman School of Business. I worked in the area of accounting and corporate finance before heading into the Business School. Then one day, I felt sick and tired of everything in the office and really wanted to get an opportunity to change my entire career. Meanwhile, the global leadership course of the Freeman School was just like a dream perfectly fitting into my consideration.
In specific, I could practice the strategic consulting through the first trip to Italy; experience the cultural diversity through the second trip to Argentina; and learn the international business through the last trip to China. They were a great journey for my future career and at the same time, precious time to develop myself. And now, I would say that the field trip to China among them was the best one for me.
First of all, the business model competition in the Xiamen University and the site visit to the client company in Xiamen were the most impressive moments in the middle of the trip. The collaboration with EMBA students in the Chinese university was the brand-new experience and challenge from the perspective of global business. And I could feel fulfilled in the photo time after the meeting with client to propose the strategic plan for expansion into overseas market.
In addition, the schedule in Shanghai allowed me to get some insight on the Chinese culture as well as the Chinese economy. Specifically, I could learn the economic trend in China during the presentation in the American Chamber of Commerce; observe the technology trend through the company visit; and experience the authentic local culture while getting around the city with classmates.
Meanwhile, I want to talk about the Chinese cuisine and tourist attractions. Honestly, I waited and waited for meal time to enjoy Chinese dishes throughout the trip. And the cruise along the river in the evening certainly presented me with the unforgettable fantastic night view. Additionally, I can tell that the Shanghai circus was the super-duper amazing show in my life. In short, seeing is believing, as the old saying goes.
In the end, I would like to thank all the colleagues in the class. I could find and learn various specialties from them throughout the trip. All the best of luck in future career and life.
Youngsu Kim
MBA Candidate 2016