Submitted by Carl Stewart on the 2022 winter session program in France sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics…
One of my greatest ambitions at UD was to study abroad. I was accepted into two programs that were canceled during the pandemic, so I was very enthusiastic to finally board my plane to Paris for my first study abroad and my first time in Europe.
BUAD391: Seminar on International Management is set up as a mock trade mission where UD students act as entrepreneurs who are interested in creating a multinational company. We network with companies in Paris to overcome barriers to internationalization and find opportunities in France, our target market. Some of the seminars my group will participate in include digital strategies in globalization, corporate social responsibility in emerging markets, environmental sustainability, and international entrepreneurship. Our professor, Ryan Sanders, established a partnership with business students at Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle. BUAD391 students hosted Sorbonne Nouvelle students when they visited the U.S. in December, and now they are helping us with our trade mission. I am happy to have a network of friends and colleagues in Paris that will last well beyond the study abroad program.
We have heard much about globalization, but this international program has intrigued me because I have experienced France’s unique identity as one of the great cultural capitals of the world, while also realizing that technology has blurred the lines between countries, business, and culture.
Our first week of the program was filled with excellent tours like the Seine River Cruise, Montmartre, Quartier Latin, French Revolution tour, and La Vigne de Paris-Bagatelle. Professor Sanders asks us to think about what we learned, what we need to have clarified, and what we found most interesting for each experience. For example, France is famous for wine, but did you know there are only a few vineyards remaining in Paris today from the 4,450 that existed in the 17th Century? And none of the Parisian wine is for sale? The small amount of wine produced is auctioned at special events to fund charity projects in Paris.
We had some fascinating workshops with Sorbonne Nouvelle. My favorite was called “Metaverse, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT’s) and digital strategies in fashion.” It’s extraordinary that in Paris, the fashion capital of the world, people spend millions of dollars on fashion NFTs which are unique digital assets bought with ETH cryptocurrency and held in a crypto wallet.
As a marketing and sport management major, one of my favorite experiences was meeting with the Paris Basketball team’s marketing and sponsorship representative and seeing one of their practices. Paris Basketball is a great example of globalization. It was founded by two former NBA directors with the goal of joining EuroLeague, the top club competition in Europe. Amazingly, almost a third of its players are from the U.S.!
It’s been a wonderful first week of study abroad. I can’t wait to blog about the rest of the program. If you are reading this on the CGPS website, you are probably considering a study abroad experience. Definitely pursue it. It will be your most remarkable and impactful time at UD!
