Join us as we celebrate the inaugural San Francisco Summer Venture Program at their Showcase. In this culminating event, 11 startups will present their business ventures and accomplishments. We hope to see you there!

Date: Thursday August 4th

Time: 5:30-9 PM

Location: Mozilla (2 Harrison St. San Francisco)

^{>> REGISTER HERE} 

**The Summer Venture Program supports the most promising entrepreneurs from Babson College. The 10 week program provides participants with co-working space, advisors, a community of like minded entrepreneurs, and other valuable resources to accelerate their business.

Here are the startups:

Shelfie (Brendan Barbato ’17) is an interactive and targeted marketing platform that creates crowd-funded photo competitions for charities

Kiwi International (Michael Corkrum ’15) adds a high protein and micro-nutrient supplement to Gari (cassava flour, the staple food in Nigeria) and rice for locals in West Africa

Let’s Go Hustle (Gustavo Diaz ’17) is a speaker event series that connects brilliants minds of our generation

Scootybees (Carey Fan M’12) is a safe, convenient and reliable rides-sharing transportation for your children’s before and after school activities

Modification Post (Philip Motto ’18) is an automotive social media platform that publishes crowd-sourced content

Grow (Michael DeMaria M’15 and Alex Meek M’15) is an automated investment service application exclusively focused on Socially Responsible Investing

DayPop (Jonathan Kong M’17) recommends events tailored to the individual’s needs and interests and analyzes the data to increase the quality and quantity of events in the area

SCB by Motiontron (Tejesh Makanawala M’14) is a smart circuit breaker (SCB) that avoids line shut down by predicting failure ahead of time and helps prevent manufacturing machine downtime

Earth Loans (Joe McHugh M’17) makes market leading, environmentally friendly technologies affordable by adjusting rate and term of the loan; the first target is geothermal energy

Brown Bag (Ashwin Mysore M’14) is a mobile app that makes it easy for people within a company to have lunch together

DeTour (Dinesh Rajasekhar M’17, Sarath Chandran M’17, and Dishank Kukreja M’17) is an interactive online platform that gives an experience to travelers by exposing them to the indigenous spirit of a place and helping them connect with and befriend a local of the place

This post was taken from the Undergraduate Career Development Blog written by Emily Besen

“Once you have hitchhiked across Africa with ten bucks in your pocket, starting a business doesn’t seem too intimidating.” So said Netflix founder and CEO Reed Hastings when asked about how his experience in the Peace Corps influenced his career.

Reed Hastings is just one example of the many Peace Corps volunteers who recall the experience as transformative in the way they think about business, the developing world, and themselves. Rob Orton, Micro-Enterprise Development alum turned Peace Corps Recruiter, writes the following reflection on how his business education set him up for success in Costa Rica and how he continues to use the lessons learned in the field.

“After graduating with a degree in Marketing Management, I was not ready to jump into a traditional business role, but still wanted to apply my degree to the first step in my career. The Peace Corps gave me an opportunity to use my marketing degree on a daily basis and develop additional skills in the areas of sustainable economic development, entrepreneurship, leadership and cultural fluency.

When I arrived in Costa Rica in July 2005, I immediately noticed a stark difference not only in climate, but in language and culture. Growing up in Maine, I had never seen a palm tree or spent significant time in a Spanish-speaking area. I had studied Spanish in high school and college, but never completely immersed myself in the language.In my first three months of service, I strove to learn the language and culture of Costa Rica as well as technical knowledge related to micro-enterprise development and the health, safety and security training necessary for a safe Peace Corps experience.

I partnered with a municipal office of women’s empowerment in the Costa Rican city of Siquirres to teach business skills to female entrepreneurs. The head of the office, Maritza, who had requested the help of a Peace Corps Volunteer to coach these women, supports victims of domestic violence along with their access to education programs, job training, and community development activities. By providing women with income-generating activities, I helped to alleviate numerous problems at the community level, especially the obvious lack of jobs in the community. In addition, I assisted in improving their self-esteem and sense of community and offered a positive social outing for these women.

On a weekly basis, I met with five different women’s groups and taught classes such as accounting, marketing, and business administration, team building exercises, self-esteem activities, and technology and English lessons. Out of all my students, I remember a group of women that had started their own business by making a muscle ointment out of locally sourced medicinal herbs. Given the area was heavily focused on agriculture – particularly pineapple and banana production – many of the local men suffered from general fatigue and sore muscles after working long days in the fields, The ointment helped to soothe these maladies. When I first met with the group, I was excited to sample their product and see if they had developed a strong local market. However, I soon became concerned with the instability of their business model, the informal nature of their business and the non-standard production of their product.
They would grow the necessary herbs, which they would then cut and harvest all at the same time, leaving them without the raw materials necessary to produce more of their product. They would also pack the product in whatever container they had on hand, from baby food jars to used pill bottles to plastic bags. They sold their product purely by word of mouth, letting friends and neighbors know that they had product on hand. When this group of women decided to advance their business, they asked if I could guide them along the way.

In working to formalize a business plan, we first created a schedule of planting herbs so the group would always have raw materials for production at their disposal. We then increased the quantity of herbs planted and staggered it in monthly batches so that the women could produce their product on a much more stable schedule. Next, I helped them shop for standard product packaging in San Jose, the country’s capital. Together, we designed a logo and label listing the product’s ingredients and directions for use and performed accounting activities, pricing schemes, marketing strategies and distribution plans. Finally, we tried to create a sales plan, but many of the women were nervous about pitching their product to local shop owners. As a solution, we created a group practice model that increased their confidence not only in their product and its use, but also in how to sell it to a skeptical shop owner. Still, in some cases, I would go with the women to provide moral support or receive the “no” answer from the shop owner. While some shops allowed us to sell on consignment, others invested their trust in the product and bought a dozen bottles to sell on their own.

While it was by no means a quick process to build on their informal business, it was a very valuable exercise for everyone. It was incredible to witness the growth of these women both on a personal level and as a support system. Throughout my service, I involved Maritza in the training so that she would feel comfortable replicating the process for other groups in the future. She quickly took to the training in accounting practices, marketing theory and business administration. Similar to most Peace Corps Volunteers, I will never forget my own personal growth in service. Now, through my role as a recruiter, I aim to help prospective Volunteers discover how their talents can be useful for Peace Corps service.”

This blog post was written by Lee Smith-Feinberg ’19 on being accepted into the HELIO Program this summer… 

Why am I sitting on a wooden boat, rowing to the sound of a taiko, and shouting “Yoisa!” in tune with twenty others? It’s because I was invited by the HELIO program, a collaboration between DSIL, Ashoka Japan, and the College of the Atlantic that is seeking to create a new kind of higher education in Japan. After sending in the application, I was very surprised to be accepted since the cohort is only 24 students, and to be honest I still didn’t know much about what was going to happen during the trip. It turns out, after meeting everyone in Hiroshima, I wasn’t alone.

We shortly boarded a ferry to Osakikamijima (大崎上島) a small island in the Seto Island chain. The town was once famous for its wooden ship building, and had many popular ports where ships would wait for the currents to change, however steel ships started gaining popularity, most of their shipyards went out of business since they couldn’t adapt, and the population started to dwindle and age. Currently, about half of the homes on the island are abandoned and the majority of jobs come from the two shipyards on the island, the traditional inn, and agriculture. The goal of our college would be two-fold. Firstly, we want to create an alternative to the currently stifling atmosphere of upper education in Japan. Secondly, we would want the college to be integrated into the community and revitalize the local economy. Our job is to both be model students, as well as help develop the idea for the college more. After learning about the situation, we got to work.

In the first few meetings, we discovered they wanted us to design a college, but gave us completely free reign over what direction to take it. We even discussed not even having a college at first, but just conducting summer study trips or having other short-term programs. Over the next few days we would be constantly shifting plans and ideas of what the college would be, adding to the important “primordial ooze” of thoughts which would eventually form the foundation of the institution. It’s been an incredible journey to actually be able to be part of the very beginnings of a college, when there’s so much enthusiasm and so much opportunity to have an important say in every aspect, from the mission of the institution to what the dorms will look like. While we’ve done a lot of research and brainstorming, the most rewarding times so far have been interacting with the locals. Our workdays have been interviewing and helping local farmers, conducting experiments, and learning more about their lives. We’ve also learned possible ways we could help them, and how they can help us. For example, we worked with a professor to conduct experiments on the soil to test for the density of microorganisms, and provide recommendations to improve their soil health. From doing all of this research, we’ve started solidifying our ideas, and will be presenting them in Hiroshima to a public audience, including the mayor and other important figures. Over the next couple days each group will be finalizing their ideas of what concepts could be applied to the college, and so in my next blog I’ll say how the final presentation went, and share our recommendations!

Post written by Dina Weick ’17 on her education abroad experience in Shanghai

My name is Dina. I’m a rising senior at Babson and to put it frankly, going abroad changed my life.

In a way, I regret not documenting more of my experiences during my time abroad. However, I feel as though it is better late than never to share. Coming home from my time abroad definitely evoked a lot of emotions. I was so happy to come back to see my family and be in a place I knew. But, at the same time, I couldn’t imagine leaving this place that had developed into my home over the course of three months. I was truly astonished at the bond I had formed with the people I had met and the city I had lived in. And now, being back in the United States, despite all the difficulties I may have encountered while I was abroad (language being a big one), I look back at my time in Shanghai as if it were a dream. This was hands down the best decision I have ever made for myself. Initially, it was hard to pull myself away from Babson. I had so much that I was leaving behind including my teammates, friends and family, and the comfort of my school. I was, naturally, scared. But I cannot express enough how happy, grateful, and pleased I am with my decision to go. It was simply incredible and I know that in the future I will encourage everyone, especially those on the fence about going, to do what I did because it is so worth it.

I cannot pinpoint exactly what it was about my experience that changed me, but I know it did, and for the better. I feel fuller, more knowledgeable, and more ready to tackle the difficult things in my life because I was brave enough to do something I never thought I would. I honestly feel myself welling up talking about it right now. I already miss all the friends I had made and all the great adventures I was able to have. From different parts of China, to Hong Kong, and Thailand, there was never a dull moment. I learned so much about Chinese culture and in turn my own culture by going abroad and that experience is priceless. As someone who grew up in a multi-cultural home, I felt as though it was so important for me to travel to a place where I could discover the other half of who I am. I learned about my history and my mother’s history and am nothing short of touched by how strong my mother is given her upbringing. I can truly say that I have found another facet to what makes me, me. With that, I encourage everyone to pick a place that really calls to them. Pick a place to study abroad that fills that hole inside you. So, thank you, to Babson, CIEE and honestly myself for making this happen. I can’t wait to see all the doors that have now opened because of my time abroad in Shanghai.

Babson College has the unique opportunity to host U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy and Assistant Secretary of State Evan Ryan for a program that emphasizes the importance of study abroad as “an investment in our future.” Starting with a welcome address by Babson’s President Healey, the DOS representatives will discuss the role of study abroad in U.S. relations and practical ways students can access global opportunities.  The program will also feature a panel of Babson students who received Gilman scholarships to study abroad.

Date: Sept 1^st

Time: 1:30-2:30 pm

Location: Olin Auditorium, Olin Hall

**Reception to follow in Markey Commons**

For more information on this event, click here

Babson College’s very own Kari Chan was selected by IES Abroad as a study abroad blogger for this past summer.

IES Abroad is proud to work with Babson College to provide study abroad and internship opportunities for students in over 30 cities around the world.

Kari was selected from a competitive pool of 112 applicants from around the country- and was part of the first group of IES Internships bloggers. Kari documented her time abroad on the IES Abroad Milan Internship program via photo and written blogging.

Watch how Kari’s adventure unfolded at http://www.iesabroad.org/karichan – and all IES Abroad student blogs at www.iesabroad.org/study-abroad/blogs.

IES Abroad is a global, not-for-profit academic consortium that offers over 120 study abroad programs, in 30+ international locations, to some 5,700 U.S. college students annually. Founded in 1950, IES Abroad is a leader in the field of education abroad programming and has over 220 prestigious U.S. college and university members as a part of its consortium. Learn more at www.IESabroad.org.

This post was written by undergraduate student, Josh Eby, who is currently abroad while participating in the BRIC Program

The first forty-eight hours were a whirlwind of activity for the BRIC 2016 cohort. From flying around the world, staying up for around thirty hours straight, eating at a traditional Russian restaurant, and getting our first taste of St. Petersburg, we’ve been getting our money’s worth in a short amount of time. However, the experience that has stuck out the most to me so far would have to be grabbing dinner with Nika, our CIEE contact.

A group of six BRICers were out getting unlocked cell phones and happened upon Tepemok, a Russian fast food chain. I got a blini with bacon, pickles, and mashed potatoes rolled inside of it. Not only was it delicious, inexpensive, and much-needed, it also gave me an insight into Russian food. Having only been in Russia for a day, I can already see that one of the backbones of the Russian diet is raw, usually pickled vegetables. Maybe this speaks to the agrarian heritage of the country, or simply the cultural taste, but it definitely provides a stark contrast to the traditional American diet. I can almost guarantee you would not find what equates to a crepe with mashed potatoes, pickles, and bacon inside of it in the United States. It is often said that one of the best peeks into a country’s culture is through its food. Even though Tepemok is fast food, I still think it offers a respectable surface-level glimpse into what Russian food is all about. Again, if we learned anything through our Encounters course and intense pre-departure programming, it’s that food makes up part of the “tip of the iceberg” of a country’s culture. It’s easy to see how this happens because food is one of the first ways people interact with any culture.

Looking ahead to the rest of our time in Russia and the rest of our trip, I hope the group will try all the different foods, but also try to dig deeper and get a better glimpse to see what these countries are all about beneath the surface level interactions.

This blog post was written by Laura Jimenez ‘17, who studied abroad in Florence, Italy in the Spring of  2015 and Sao Paulo, Brazil in the Spring of 2016 

Going abroad is one thing, sharing your experiences with others is another, but the overall impact that you can have on young students who are looking forward to have their own experience abroad is a personal and gratifying success.

I was invited as a panelist to the Study Abroad: An Investment in Your Future event. The purpose of this event was to discuss the role of study abroad in U.S. relations and practical ways students can access global opportunities.  We were invited, as study abroad alumni, to share our experiences with all the attendees. I thought this would have been an easy task, especially since I had no doubt about the impact that studying abroad (twice) had caused on my personal and professional development. The event was early into the beginning of the semester, a time where a lot of students are still getting adjusted and transition from ‘summer-mode’, and therefore, I was not expecting a “full house.”  However, the Olin Auditorium was packed to the brim with students, faculty and staff alike, which was for the best.

As I responded to the introductory question, my words trembled with nervousness. And then I saw the eyes of young people, first years, second years, juniors, and adults, thirsty for knowledge and excitement. I thought to myself, “people really want to know me, hear about my experiences, and they are actually very interested!” I gained a lot of comfort from their attention, and because of that I was able to connect with them. Meeting US Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Assistant Secretary of State Evan Ryan was another great experience, because they are the quintessential example of taking one’s personal experiences to the national level, by actually making things possible for the new generation who thrives to gain an international education.

After the event ended, several students approached me, wanting to know more about my experience.  For the following two weeks, I had students and faculty members, stopping me, intrigued about my experience, and looking for mentorship so that they can experience education abroad on their own, or recommend their children to go abroad. I felt deep gratification in being able to share my experiences that you do not need the financial means, you do not need to be scared about leaving the country, and you do not need to detach yourself from the world or your current venture.  You only need to want to explore, have an open mind and be able to acknowledge with open arms and open soul how much of an investment studying abroad is, for your personal growth and your professional leverage.

The first week in Russia has been very exciting for the BRIC cohort! We have finally begun exploring the city on our own and started learning words, habits and general norms of the culture. One thing that was most present in our day-to-day activities was the ever looming “Metro Face”. This face is a very stern and cold stare that to a non-Russian onlooker would seem to project an unpleasant feeling. In addition to the Metro Face, a significant difference in the level of volume is noticeable. In public areas it is not accepted to be loud and it is required to be practically whispering when having conversations in restaurants.

Metro Face was explained heavily in our orientation and conversations with Professors so we expected a large amount of negative looks in Russia. Fortunately, the cohort found that many Russian were extremely friendly and smiled a lot. When we tried to speak Russian, saying simple words like “priviet” (hi) and spasibo (thank you), some would smile seeming appreciative of our attempt at the language. The cohort understood that while Russia’s may be more noticeable, many cities have their own version of metro face when walking around. So we were all pleasantly surprised by the amount of hospitality and friendliness that we have received by the Russian people. We learned an important lesson from the metro face: you don’t have to smile all the time. In the US is is expected that everyone is overly friendly,  and the metro face showed us that it is fine to look serious if you want to. Here is a picture of our cohort doing the “metro face” at Saint Isaac’s Cathedral.

The warnings about the silence, however, were surely very accurate. The Russians really take the concept of the “inside voices” seriously, including when they are outside. We have noticed in in every cafe, restaurant and public place we have been to. Even on places that are full, little more than muffled conversations can be heard. Our standard timbre of conversation is outstandingly loud for them. A positive side to their quiet nature is that the places feel much more peaceful in  comparison to what we are used to. It showed us that not necessarily there has to be loud music playing in the cafes and stores, as happens in the US. We have been adapting to the silence, and meanwhile appreciating the peaceful atmosphere that it creates.

We have learned so much here in Russia that it feels like we have been here for much longer than we actually have (in a good way). The Russians have been very hospitable, and we have been able to progressively understand more from their culture the more we interact with them. We are excited to see what else Russia teaches us – seep posted for updates from the BRIC cohort!

Sincerely,
Julia and Tanner

This blog post was written by Ha Min Ko, who is currently abroad on the BRIC Program…

What comes to your mind when you think of ballet? If you are like me, you think of little girls wearing tutus dancing on their tip toes, occasionally tripping because they are trying to perform moves that should not be humanly possible.

I never thought to myself that I would enjoy watching a ballet performance but that changed when I got to see a performance of Sleeping Beauty at the Mikhailovsky Theater in Saint Petersburg. If anyone can convince a ballet-hater to see the beauty of ballet, it is the Russians.

Sleeping beauty is a story most people know – a prince comes along to wake up a sleeping princess with a kiss and they live happily ever after. Hardly something you’d think could be expressed as a 3-hour long story, much less through dancing! But when you’re a genius like the Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, anything is possible. Along with Marius Petipa, he transformed the fairy tale in a three act performance, a story told solely through music and dance.

The story was simple but elegant. Striking, even. The mood in the crowd shifted from delight to gasps when the villain, Carabosse, appears and curses the princess to death. The crowd was on the prince’s side when he worked with the Lilac fairy to fight against Carabosse and the final wedding scene – breathtaking.

When the show was over, the entire crowd was cheering and applauding. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced any other show or experience that got a longer applause than the one the crowd gave here. At one point I thought it would never end but can you blame the crowd when they just witnessed an authentic Russian ballet performance?

If I had to describe the performance in one word, it would be “graceful.” Dozens of dancers were leaping back and forth, spinning and flowing in ways you never thought human beings could move in. They made it look so easy; but I’m sure if I tried to move like them I would fall on my face. I couldn’t even begin to image the amount of hard work, effort, and dedication these dancers put into their craft.

There were a couple interesting things in the audience as well. The Babson BRIC 2016 students were dressed in our fanciest clothes, as it was traditionally done. Yet there were some people dressed in just a t-shirt and jeans. Also, there were a lot of children. Fun fact: according to Professor Coyle, Russians take their kids to a Russian ballet the way Americans take their kids to a baseball game.

Ballets are not just little girls dancing in tutus, it is a performance art. If you are ever in Russia, you should definitely go watch a ballet performance! It is an experience like no other and you may find a new appreciation for Russian culture like myself!

If you ever walk through the Olin cafeteria at Babson College, you will immediately notice the rich cultural diversity through the multi-lingual conversations spoken in the room. In fact, 74% of the 2-year MBA student population are international. With 46 countries and 37 languages represented at Babson College, it is safe to assume that a considerable percentage of the student population would have entrepreneurial aspirations in emerging markets. I am one of those students.

As a Haitian American MBA student at Babson College, I recently had the pleasure of attending the National Alliance for the Advancement of Haitian Professionals conference (NAAHP) in Washington, DC. The conference’s theme was “Leveraging the Diaspora’s Political & Economic Power for the Good of The Homeland”, with a strong focus on encouraging the Haitian diaspora living abroad to invest in Haiti.

During the 2.5 days of the NAAHP conference, industry experts and successful entrepreneurs lead in-depth panels, workshops and discussions diving into the complex yet highly rewarding undertaking of doing business in Haiti. It is no surprise that getting an entrepreneurial venture off the ground in a developing country will propose many challenges. There are no written instructions on how to get started, the economic and governmental state is generally unstable and bureaucratic obstacles seem to lurk behind every corner. If you aren’t well-connected or already established in Haiti, you are sure to run into problems while trying to get started.

With that in mind, one can easily get discouraged from taking the plunge. This is even more apparent for Haitian American’s living abroad who are unfamiliar with the “status quo” of doing business in Haiti and are dealing with the “culture gap” of being an American.

But entrepreneurs who want to do business in the risk prone emerging markets are in it for more than just the return on investment. We understand the impact of creating long-term economic development in our home countries. Though Haiti has its unique set of challenges, I get the sense that we share similar struggles with other developing countries. If you are the highly motivated entrepreneur who is willing to jump in with both feet despite the insurmountable risk, I’ve summarized 9 key takeaways I learned from the NAAHP conference for you.

1. Spend some time in the market – Before you even think about starting a business in a developing country, you need to go there often. Visit different parts of the country, spend time observing how things are done and look for areas where you can create value.
2. Go in with an open mind – Don’t assume that your way is the best way. You’ll be operating in a business environment unlike the developed world so there is plenty of room to learn new things.
3. Develop relationships with people you trust – There is no way to achieve success without cultivating relationships with mentors and partners that are both on the ground as well as experienced with doing business in your desired market. You can meet them at conferences, through mutual relationships or through other networking initiatives. They will be an essential resource to advising you on the process as well as connecting you with other valuable sources.
4. Use Babson’s Entrepreneurial Thought & Action methodology – Like most entrepreneurial ventures, failure is inevitable; especially in a high risk market. But if you are going to fail, do it fast and smart. Leverage both quantitative and qualitative market data, pilot your venture on small scale and closely monitor performance data to look for signs where it’s time to pull the plug on an opportunity. Alternatively, keep a close eye for opportunities to capitalize and grow your venture.
5. Familiarize yourself with local business laws – Doing business in developing markets mean new laws and regulations that you should familiarize yourself with as much as possible. Get to know the business registration rules, tax systems, trade rules as well as any other laws that may impact your venture.
6. Always have a plan – A detailed plan of action as well as a backup plan is essential to doing business in a developing market. Be as detailed as possible and continuously update your plan to align with the ever-changing landscape of emerging markets.
7. Conduct a risk assessment and mitigation strategies – In addition to your business plan, identify all of the potential risks (there will be many) and create contingency plans to mitigate or reduce those risks. A good tip is to assign a probability of occurrence score to each risk and severity of the impact if it were to happen. Be detailed, creative and realistic.
8. Establish yourself in the market – If you want to be taken seriously, you need to establish yourself in your desired market. It’s difficult for partners to take you seriously if you’re always abroad; this is especially the case in Haiti. This does not mean that you need to relocate or get an apartment there, but you need to have a local address or location that you can identify as your base in the country.
9. Leverage resources from organizations that support your business – There are a number of organizations both here and abroad that are available to help with finding and connecting you with resources to get your business off the ground. Be sure to conduct your research and find out who they are and how to qualify.

Being an entrepreneur is a challenging endeavor, so success is even more difficult to obtain when working in emerging markets. One can expect intense fru
stration, disappointment, failure and unpredictability throughout this journey. Therefore, a heightened level of dedication, passion, patience and impeccable execution is necessary to effectively launch a business in the developing world. Those of us who are still encouraged to embark on this journey are indeed a unique breed of entrepreneur. We want to create innovative solutions to everyday challenges, give jobs to our people and build sustainable opportunities that will improve the overall well-being of our homeland. These factors enable us to harness super-human entrepreneurial strength to keep going. Keep these 9 tips handy and understand that anything worth pursuing never comes easy.

This post was written by Jennifer Nelson, an evening MBA student at Babson College F.W. Olin School of Business. She works full-time as a Product Manager for Digital Implant Solutions at DENTSPLY Sirona in Waltham, MA.  

In the midst of the fall recruiting season, education abroad can feel like a barrier to scoring an interview with the company of your dreams. Instead of thinking of your time abroad as a hindrance to your career goals, remember that you are making an investment in your personal development. Operating outside of your comfort zone can result in tremendous growth in terms of independence, adaptability, problem-solving, a global mindset, and more; ultimately making you a stronger candidate for any position.

Keep in mind, while some may not be flexible in interviewing while abroad, the majority of companies will accommodate skype interviews and look forward to hearing about your experience in country. Meet with an adviser in UGCCD to help you plan the optimal time to study abroad based on the industry you are considering.

But don’t take our word for it! Watch the video below to hear how three students utilized the Babson global network and their experience abroad to influence future career decisions.

This post was written by Education Abroad Peer Advisor Stella Joo…

I had a three-day long orientation as soon as I arrived in Florence, Italy on the last week of August. The orientation covered many topics regarding academics, budgeting, health and safety, etc. One of the issues that the faculty emphasized the most was theft, especially the pick-pocketters in Florence. I still remember one of the faculty members telling us, “I hope you all go back home with the wallets that are in your hands right now”. At that moment, I just shrugged it off. I have never lost anything in my life, or had anything stolen away from me. Nevertheless, I should have taken that advice more seriously. My wallet was pick-pocketed during the second weekend in Florence.

After adjusting a bit to the Florence life, spending a week with my host family, I decided to explore. I went shopping in the city center of Florence with a couple of American students on the second weekend of the semester. I thought that I had all my belongings secured, zipping everything up in my backpack; I was very excited to explore the city and shop around. However, as a group of American students, we easily became a target of pick-pocketters. At one point, I walked into the dressing room to try on some clothes, put my backpack down, only to realize the zipper was 3 inches open. My heart dropped. This is what they were talking about.

I searched everywhere that I had wandered around that day. However, I was not successful in finding the wallet. I ran back home to cancel all my credit cards. After the call, I broke down crying because I felt so lost and abandoned. I felt betrayed, unwelcomed by the city of Florence. Soon after, my host mom came into my room to ask what was wrong. I told her everything that had happened, she grabbed the tissues and put me on the back of her motorcycle to drive me to the police office to report the theft. Towards the end of the semester, my roommate also had her wallet stolen. Whether it be a stolen wallet or a bad day being homesick, our host mom was always there to help and support us. After I lost my wallet, my host mom actually gifted me with a handmade wallet, which I am so grateful for and still keep with me today.

While you are abroad, it is so crucial to be attentive to your surroundings. You will be very excited to explore the city, but to the natives, it will be very easy to tell that you are a foreign student. The second week of Florence has definitely taught me that lesson. However, it has also taught me that there are so many kind people out there who will be willing to help you. My study abroad experience in Italy would not have been the same without my host family. If there is anyone considering to study abroad, please be careful but also make many relationships and enjoy!

This post was written by Ruiyi (Ricki) Huang as part of her FYS assignment on International Week here at Babson…

As an international student, I was eager to teach other students about Chinese culture.

I hosted a language table of Chinese and was surprised to find out that there are so many people who have learned Chinese before and speak it well.

As a member of the CSA e-board, we prepared a multicultural table for Chinese students to talk about Chinese Culture.

This international week event allowed us to understand more about other cultures and people with different backgrounds, eliminating culture shock and biases. We shall all respect other cultures so that things like the Wellesley incident does not happen again.

This post was written by undergraduate student, Jose Damasceno, as part of an FYS assignment…

When I went to the Multicultural Festival last week, I was surprised to see how diverse our college is. Although Babson is proud of such diversity, only after the festival had I realized that I have had superficial contact with this diversity. For instance, I have never met students from Greece. At the festival, I found that they are not only very well-represented, but also very proactive on the campus. Besides the Greek community, I had contact with people from several countries of Latin America and of Asian, expanding my vision on how diverse Babson actually is.

Moreover, I had the opportunity to represent my own country and the Brazilian Association, sharing with Babson Students our background and our culture in a
unique way. I presented some projects and activities of the Brazilian Association and had the chance to invite people to attend at them.

I also had contact with several other organizations that represent different nationalities on the campus and their activities throughout the year. It was interesting to discover that international students are not only a huge part of the student body, but also an important component of the Babson community. Furthermore, I became instigated to be more active on campus. By having contact with those clubs, I became excited to go to their events, learn new languages and even integrate new groups. Their activities are great and I am very excited to participate in several of them after the festival!

This blog post was written by Aidan Dennis ’19…

On October 24th, the United Nations celebrated its 70th anniversary. This has been seventy years of growth and prosperity after World War II. For those that do not know, the United Nations was formed by a plethora of countries as member states in order to achieve international cooperation in solving various international issues and to establish a governing body to oversee international humanitarian efforts. Recognizing the importance of the United Nations is very essential for any college student regardless of major. The work of the UN and the resolutions that they produce effects all fields and majors: business, medicine, liberal arts, visual arts, etc. That’s why six other Glavin Global Fellows and I were ecstatic to take the opportunity to attend a luncheon sponsored by the United Nations Association of Greater Boston (UNAGB) with keynote speaker, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for current United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who oversees the operations of the entire United Nations.

Stéphane made a lot of key points about the future of the country and the global world looking forward from the recent presidential election and issues that have troubled the United Nations the past few years, such as the growing refugee crisis in Syria and the issue of climate change. Although limited to a half an hour of speaking time, he stressed the importance of getting involved in the world and the keys to being a global citizen. Finally we learned about what Ban Ki-moon sought to do in his last month as Secretary General of the United Nations before he relinquishes the title to António Guterres of Portugal later on this year. Not only that, but we were all impressed by the presence in the room. There were consulate generals and diplomats from countries including but not limited to Mexico, Jamaica, Poland, Canada and France, strengthening the global presence and diverse backgrounds in the room.

Urging matters were pressed onto the high school and college students in attendance and how they could get involved from their own campuses and take initiative by acting locally and thinking globally. I learned more about how the United Nations operated as well as what issues were being pressed and prioritized going into 2017 as well as learning about the specific local efforts the UNAGB were taking to develop global mindsets in the Boston metropolitan area. Going forward, I think it’s something that Babson specifically can definitely learn from and apply especially being the thriving, diverse and global community that we are. Building rapport with the United Nations and the UNAGB in particular could be amazing for students, faculty and staff. I think this was an amazing opportunity as a student and I hope that other students can learn from similar opportunities and get to meet and foster dialogue with people who have had such an impact on the global community.

I am interested in getting involved in the Glavin Global Fellows.

Glavin Global Fellows pictured above: Nadia Mendes, Shaleen Sheth, Irene Laochaisri, Jose Damasceno, Aidan Dennis, Caleb Harbison-Wursten, Cameron Bailey

This blog post was written by Aditya Gupta, a Graduate Affinity Conference Sponsorship recipient…

As an international student, I am always looking for opportunities that can help me meet new people, connect with companies, gather information about the industry and ultimately land a job. The ASIAN MBA Conference was one such amazing opportunity that I came across and was excited to be a part of.

As per the website, “ASIAN MBA Annual Conference is the longest running and largest event empowering future Asian American leaders and helping companies to recruit top talent” and I can vouch that my experiences at the conference were definitely enriching and valuable. The day started around 10 am with 30 companies setting up their booths and waiting to chat with excited pool of job seekers. Although, more than half of the companies did not sponsor visas, it was still great to know about the new trends in the industry and practice my networking skills. Among those who were open to recruit international students, PNC Financial Services, Uber, UCSF and SUEZ NA were of particular interest to me. I am grateful to have had the chance to network with the potential employers and convey how I can add value to the organization with my strengths and skills.

Alongside the career fair, there were speaker sessions and panel discussions from eminent corporate leaders and entrepreneurs. The talks were inspiring, where the speakers touched on topics such as challenges faced in starting your own business, cultural fitness and importance of training and development. Listening to the speakers helped me reflect on my experiences until now and inspired me to be persistent in the journey forward.

Apart from the career fair and the speaker session, another value addition was the networking opportunity with the fellow job seekers. I was able to meet students from different B-school and connect with them on a deeper level because of the common background, culture or experiences. Representing Babson was a proud moment for me in such conversations.

Overall, it was a great experience to attend ASIAN MBA. Some of the key learnings included reinforcement of the importance of networking, persistence, prioritization as well as staying inspired. I am happy to say that this conference was definitely an addition in my job search process and I thank Babson Graduate Affinity Scholarship team for making it possible.

This blog post was written by Education Abroad Peer Advisor Julie Zhou ’17…

When I ask people where they want to go abroad, they almost always answer with a specific country name. However, when I ask them why they chose the country, they are usually at a loss of words.

There are many considerations that go into deciding which country you would like to study abroad in, including the language, class types, location of the university, etc. I would like to focus on one of my most important considerations: food.

Last spring, I studied abroad in Shanghai, China through a Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE) program. As a Chinese-American, I did not experience any culture shock; my parents taught me almost everything about Chinese culture that I needed to know. However, many of my American peers were complaining about losing weight in the beginning of the program due to not being used to the food choices.

Although it took some time for my peers to become accustomed to the food and culture, I was amazed to their openness to trying new foods that are outside of their comfort zones. Then, I asked myself, why is this surprising? It makes sense to try things that you would not necessarily try in your home country when you are abroad. I did not consciously realize why this openness is amazing until I overheard one of my peers saying that he would not eat the food at a restaurant; he explained that he wanted to wait until he could go to McDonalds later for a hamburger. While there is nothing wrong with McDonalds, I think that a huge component of having a great study abroad experience is taking the time to come out of your comfort zone, and food is an easy everyday way of doing so. All in all, be proud of being a guest to your host country, and take the time to learn more about another culture. You can have all of the McDonald’s products that you want when you come back to America. Don’t miss out on trying new foods with new friends!

Meet Gwendolyn Lee, January 2017 IES Abroad Ambassador of the Month! Gwendolyn is a junior at Babson College, where she majors in Business Administration. She spent Spring 2016 on the IES Abroad Paris – Business & International Affairs Program and is excited to go abroad again to Spain this spring! Gwendolyn describes what drew her to choose her particular program and how she made study abroad work in her academic schedule. See more at: https://www.iesabroad.org/study-abroad/news/study-abroad-advice-ies-abroad-ambassador-month-gwendolyn-lee#sthash.mNPh4eTC.unSr0iU8.dpuf 

This is a poem that was recited at the Martin Luther King Leadership Day which reflects on observations about being black throughout Salome Mosehle’s study abroad experience. 

Thomas Chatterton Williams wrote of the power of travel, “the more I’d ventured from my own backyard and projected myself into the world—the more I found myself unwilling to preemptively cordon off any of it.” How has your travel changed the way you view the world and the people in it?

The Color Black Through Russia, China and India: A Dramatic Poem

Russia- A Black Woman’s Plight

On the streets of St. Petersburg, a black woman walked

With a burly white man, they talked

On Russian politics and the like

Economics and how oil prices took a hike

But to her surprise

Two white men came to her demise

They daunted and screamed, “Africa… Africa”

And followed her closely almost touching her.

The white burly man stood to protect her with deft

And to her good fortune they finally left

But no one can wipe her memory clean

And no one can wipe the color of her skin.

China- A Curiosity 

Whether black or white, the curiosity abounds

Chinese people asking to take pictures all around

With you and your foreign looks

“Nee hao” is enough of a hook.

But to the black female, children point

Their fingers stretching strongly from their joints

For they have never seen such a pigment

Could this be part of an imaginary figment?

A black friend once said, after years in Shanghai

To the Chinese I’m a curiosity, I cannot deny

Initially I knew they meant no harm

But I can’t change my skin color, like I can’t change my palm.

India- The Black Stereotype

Brown people, black people very close hues

So there weren’t many different social cues

India indeed felt like a solace

Free from ignorance or straight malice.

But perceptions hid beneath the surface, you see

Stereotypes about you and me

Black people are strong, agile, well-trained

So fit, athletic but other topics, we choose to feign.

Am I saying that black is victimized?

Am I saying that black is perfect, not to be criticized?

No, I am saying that black needs a fresh paint brush

in someone’s brain- something more real, not something lush.

My small black and someone else’s

Might be the window to new addresses

The black man will now be free

In the minds of those who will let him be.