The experience of a lifetime

By Gabriella Scoccia, BS ’24

Asia trip expands global perspectives for UB School of Management students 

During winter break, students from two Global Programs classes — International Business in Singapore for undergraduate students and International Business in East Asia for graduate students — traveled to Vietnam and Singapore. The classes, led by Nicole Hunter, clinical assistant professor of finance, and Wei Loon Leong, UB’s director of international alumni engagement, gave students the opportunity to work on projects alongside students from UB’s Singapore campus.  

Students visit the Singapore Institute of Management. 

Undergraduate students in the International Business in Singapore class acted as consulting teams to provide recommendations for companies in the U.S. and Japan. They spoke with alumni who visited their virtual class to share their experiences and knowledge of doing business in Asian countries. As part of the experience, students completed an intercultural competency test. Through course material, the project and the optional in-person experience, students planned how to increase this competency.

“Singapore has always fascinated me,” says Christian Kolasny, BS ’26. “I enjoyed discovering its culture and learning about international business. Through this trip I gained valuable insights for my future aspirations and goals.”  

Students visit the company Grab in Singapore.  

While visiting Singapore, students visited the headquarters of Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading super app, which provides everyday services like deliveries, mobility, financial services and more. Throughout the visit, students participated in a Q&A session with management employees. 

“Visiting Singapore and Vietnam opened my mind to the vast opportunities in Southeast Asia,” says Jessica Lorick, BS ’24. “It has allowed me to grow intercultural acceptance and be open to new experiences.” 

Students visited other Singaporean companies in various industries, including supply chain solutions company JGL Worldwide; the world's leading insurance marketplace Lloyd’s; and luxury car expert TTS EUROCARS.

For the second part of the trip, the students continued their East Asian journey with a visit to Vietnam. 

The visit to Shilla Bags International was one of the highlights for senior accounting student Jessica Lorick. 

“The bag manufacturing facility allowed me to see the application of what I learned in my  Production and Operations Management class,” she says. “In the manufacturing facility we saw the full process from beginning to end. I was able to see how they work with clients to make their designs possible by creating prototypes and the production process of creating lead schedules to get the production done in a timely manner. I was able to see their process of ensuring high standards of quality and compliance.”

Students in a boat ride in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

In Vietnam, students also embarked on an excursion to Mekong River Delta. The outing, which involved taking a canal cruise and a boat ride to islands, provided the opportunity for students to learn how locals live, eat and conduct business on the water. They also learned about houseboats, floating markets, waterways, cottage industries such as making rice paper, pop-rice or coconut candy. 

The takeaways of the trip were different for every student. 

“This trip undoubtedly changed my life,” says Patrick Lageraaen MBA '24. “I now have an appreciation for Asia that I never thought I’d have, and a newfound and reasoned appreciation for the country that I call home, the United States.” 

While traditional learning experiences are crucial for students during undergraduate and graduate programs, taking part on experiential learning offered by the Global Programs Office can prepare students for life, facilitate creativity, increase leadership and collaboration, and help students develop the ability to adapt to a changing workplace.  

“This trip was an experience of a lifetime.” says Joseph Genier, BS ’25.