Posted By: Career Enrichment Network
Photos and content contributed by Matthew Body, studying Labor and Employment Relations, after he returned from the Embedded Course he took in Nanjing, China last Maymester.
I was extremely fortunate to be a part of The School of Labor and Employment Relations’ pilot study abroad program in the Spring of 2015. I enrolled in, “”LER 497G: “”Managing Human Resources in China”” which took place during the 2015 Maymester.
If you are interested in international business, China is an excellent place to start because of the scale of their economy. Along with attending lectures at the Nanjing University Business School, our group toured four companies in entirely different industries which gave us a taste of what it’s like to work, and do business in China.
It is important to note that I had never previously left the country and it was not until one of my mentors and my student services coordinator both convinced me this trip was going to be huge for me both professionally and personally. This was the chance of a lifetime for me to travel to another country with support from my university and earn credits directly related to my career trajectory.
The course was during the Maymester 2015, and it was perfect! We were in China for about two weeks directly after the Spring Semester ended, and we were back in time to pursue various internships.
I would like to eventually work for a large multinational corporation. This trip opened my eyes to the possibility of living abroad and building an understanding of another world. Traveling to China has helped to build my awareness as well as my appreciation for the perspective of others. Living in a foreign country is like putting your life on a more challenging setting, which I think anyone can benefit from if they fully embrace the opportunity.
I was very fortunate to gain support through Enrichment Funding, the LER School, and Alumni from my program and the Office of Global Programs. Penn State is an extremely generous University in terms of investing into their student’s future. The money is available, you just need to make your case known and ask.
I continuously find myself referencing something back to an event from my trip. Your study abroad will be an adventure you will never forget. Wherever you go, immerse yourself in the culture. Only eat the food you don’t understand and always use chopsticks. Make new friends and build relationships with people whom you would otherwise never meet. Don’t use your phone (except to take pictures of course).
I would tell any student who is thinking about studying abroad to DO IT! How many students have you met that studied abroad and advised others not to go afterward? It’s a life changing experience for all and I would not have traded it for anything. Every student wants to study abroad for their own reasons but it will change you for the better, no matter how many hurdles you have to jump to actually get there. Definitely the cherry-on-top of my college experience.
Earning academic credits in another country while having them relate directly to my career path is a platform that not every university offers. Living in another part of the world gives you an appreciation for other cultures, a dynamic that cannot be gained by staying in your comfort zone. Also, simply being able to connect with students who attend school in another country makes you appreciate the volume of educational opportunities available in the United States.
All the food was phenomenal (eel, frog, birds on a stick, and all kids of noodles). Being in a foreign country like China makes you appreciate many things you do have back home like non-censored internet, having siblings, air quality, etc. It depends on where you go but getting to view the world from a different perspective is an incredible blessing.