Seeing is Believing
McCombs Students Travel the
World,
Expanding Global Perspectives
As part of their journey to becoming influential business
leaders, nearly 30 percent of McCombs students at all levels
avail themselves of opportunities to study outside the U.S.
Whether it’s two intense weeks or an entire semester abroad,
these international experiences leave an indelible impression.
Texas magazine takes you along for the ride, sharing students’
snapshots and travelogues from some of this year’s global
destinations.
China
Full-Time MBA Global Trip
Chris Sears, MBA ’07
It is amazing what China has accomplished in the last 15 years from a development and technology viewpoint. The growth has come at some cost, primarily in the form of thick pollution, but the growing affluence and educational base of the country made for a very worthwhile visit. At the Museum of Shanghai Urban Development, which had an enormous replica of Shanghai, we were all floored by the number of high-rises. I have been to the top of Manhattan buildings and seen the blocks of skyscrapers. But, there is an end to it, with the end of Manhattan Island. There is no ending in Shanghai, a home to 18 million residents. The Forbidden City is 950 acres, compared to the 40 acres of The University of Texas campus. That’s the thing with China. Everything is so much bigger and more advanced than we could have imagined.
For our first full day in Beijing, we visited Airbus, had lunch at the Capital Club, and then visited UBS Private Wealth Management. The UBS directors had both attended UT Austin and were very sharp. We had a two-hour Q&A session with them, answering questions about the prosperity of the Chinese market, the stock exchanges in China and Hong Kong, and the investment opportunities (and restrictions) in China.
Among the highlights of the trip were our Chinese teammates from Shanghai Jiao Tung University. Isabella, Andy, Maggie, Raymond and Jeffrey (their Americanized names) were incredibly friendly, intelligent, generous and funny. They introduced us to some of the finer Chinese cuisines—namely chicken feet, frog, tongue and tripe. One of the highlights was the night they took us to a nice restaurant in the PuDong District. The restaurant was partitioned into several sections, each representing a different dynasty from China’s history. We had dinner in a private room followed by a dress-up party in which the waiters dressed all of us in traditionally Chinese garb. Our group of six American students drew plenty of laughs from the locals with our whole-hearted willingness to dress up, combined with our two-day working knowledge of Mandarin.
Greece and Turkey
Full-Time MBA Global Trip
Heather Wong, MBA ’08
Bargaining at the Grand Bazaar is a social art, and is done over Turkish tea (strong black) or apple tea (more like cider)—both scalding. It starts with schmoozing—something we at business school are well-trained for—and with developing a friendly rapport, then moving into a discussion of what you want to buy.
At the spice market, also known as the Egyptian market, there were tons of spices, everywhere. Turkish saffron can be purchased very cheaply at 50 grams for 2 lira (about $1.50). Shopkeepers are even more aggressive than at the Grand Bazaar, going so far as to grab customers by the arm! Several key selling techniques: “Lady, lady, let me help you spend your money!” “Spend some money for your honey!” “Best price—everything free!” and so forth.
On Sunday, we toured the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. It was fascinating to see the Muslim culture. I think it was also my first time having to take off shoes to enter a holy building. Prayer bells ring throughout the day, all over the city. During the soccer game we went to tonight (a huge game between Istanbul teams one and two), we saw some policemen taking time off of their riot duty to lay out their mats, face Mecca and pray!
Michael Paulos, MBA ’07
On Tuesday we went sightseeing. The tour guide took us to the Hagia Sophia and the underground cistern. The Hagia Sophia was incredible—what an interesting juxtaposition of two world religions. You have Muslim calligraphy next to a mural of Jesus. The underground cistern was fascinating too. The highlight here was the engraved Medusa heads.
Friday, many of the ALBA (Athens Laboratory of Business Administration, a graduate school of business in Greece) students joined us for the day of lectures. I enjoyed speaking to many of them. The students I met were mostly from Greece, but I did meet one student from South Africa. The school had a very interesting history, which the dean spoke about at length in his opening remarks. The school seemed genuinely happy to host us.
Saturday brought a side trip down to Delphi. To me, this was a highlight of the trip. Dean Gau joined us again for the entire day. The ruins were amazing. Above the ruins was an ancient Olympic venue. After a visit to the museum in Delphi, we adjourned to a restaurant for lunch. The meal was good but not great—the best part was the vegetable appetizers. The main course was fish, but a fish with the skin, tail and head still attached.
Italy
Fall 2006 Semester Abroad
Ilya Kuperman, Marketing Junior
While hiking a windy path through the five towns of Cinque Terra on the Mediterranean coast south of Milan, we passed through the picturesque town of Vernazza. The houses, boats and people seemed to be stuck in time, and the aerial view provided an even more historic panorama. It was one of the first of many moments where I thought to myself, “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Studying in Milan was by far the most amazing experience of my college career, if not my entire life. Every possible moment was spent traveling, socializing, exploring different cultures and seeing things I could never have even dreamt existed.
Hong Kong
Fall 2006 Semester Abroad
Laurel Wang, BHP and Finance Senior
Hong Kong was a gateway to visit many different countries, such as mainland China, Macau, Thailand and the Philippines. My experience was focused around facing new trials and learning how to not only deal with them, but how to appreciate the opportunity to grow and learn from the experiences. Tigers are supposed to be the most deadly of the big cats, the best swimmers and the highest jumpers. Having gotten the chance to sit with and pet around 16 different non-sedated tigers, I have experienced nature’s full power and beauty.
Teresa Kwok, Accounting Senior
Studying abroad in Hong Kong was the best decision I’ve ever made in college. Hong Kong is an amazing international city, providing a great mix of city life, country/quiet life outside the city, culture, modern architecture, shopping, beaches, mountain hiking, water sports, delicious food, and is an easy outlet to other international cities all over Asia.
India
Full-Time MBA Global Trip
Sheila Gupta, MBA ’08
India is a land that can’t be captured in words or pictures. It is felt when you get off the plane and absorb the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty, of technology and tradition, of culture and modernization, and of chaos and tranquility.
We visited economic powerhouses, political icons and business authorities. We toured religious monuments, breathtaking historical sights and beautiful beaches. We tasted delicious cuisines from all over the country. But most importantly, we met and talked to loads of people who never ceased to inspire me with their sincerity, invincible spirit and endless kindness.
Priyanka Malhotra, MBA ’08
We met with India’s railway minister because he is responsible for the turnaround of the Indian railways from a loss-making firm into one with profits in excess of $4.7 billion. A managerial feat! He spoke to us at length about being honest and about having a vision and determination.
By getting so much attention in India, we are now on the radar of many bright and intelligent prospective Indian students as a school of first choice. It felt great to be live on TV and in the newspapers, but it was also a great way for us to tell prospective Indian students how exceptional the students from McCombs are and how much we are learning and giving back to our community.
Vietnam
Houston/Dallas MBA Global Trip
Jeffery Goza, MBA ’08
Before the trip, I suggested that our combined Houston/Dallas MBA class could perform a charitable act by visiting an orphanage and making a donation that would help improve the lives of the children, giving back to the community we were there to learn from. The trip coordinators searched for and found a worthy organization, “Vietnam Friendship Village.” VFV is a place where children with Agent Orange-related deformities and other disabilities receive needed medical attention, general education and vocational training to help them integrate into society. Everyone was on board and excited about the opportunity. On New Year’s Day we took the trip from Hanoi to VFV, meeting with the director and the wonderful children who, despite their issues, were happy and excited about life and the opportunities that lie ahead of them. Experiencing the culture and learning about the economic and political changes in Vietnam highlights not only the responsibilities of influential business leaders and government officials but created a unique learning opportunity regarding global business and politics.
Chile
Full-Time MBA Global Trip
Antonio Centeno, MBA ’07
The Central Bank in Santiago is a very impressive building. When we got there, we were ushered into a large conference room that appeared to be the place where most of Chile’s economic decisions are made. Our initial host was a young woman who gave us a brief overview and then introduced us to Leonardo Hernandez, the deputy general manager of the Central Bank. For the next hour Leonardo gave us an inside view into what has made Chile so successful and what they are doing at the Central Bank to ensure the country remains competitive. Afterward he answered questions from the group. It seemed that no question was too small, and I was happy to get one in myself.
Fall 2006 Semester in Chile
Brian Smiley, Finance Senior
My incredible semester abroad ended with the most spectacular trip of my life. Finishing school, backpacking through Patagonia, and boarding a boat from Ushuaia, Argentina (the southernmost city in the world) brought me to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. I spent eight days exploring the frozen continent, which is the driest, highest and coldest of all seven continents. My time abroad was filled with adventures all over South America. From skiing in the Andes, hitchhiking through a national park, visiting one of the world’s largest deserts, horseback riding on a pristine beach, and even flying a private plane around the country, my semester abroad was the pinnacle of my college experience to date.
China
Full-Time MBA Global Trip Chris Sears, MBA ’07
It is amazing what China has accomplished in the last 15 years from a development and technology viewpoint. The growth has come at some cost, primarily in the form of thick pollution, but the growing affluence and educational base of the country made for a very worthwhile visit. At the Museum of Shanghai Urban Development, which had an enormous replica of Shanghai, we were all floored by the number of high-rises. I have been to the top of Manhattan buildings and seen the blocks of skyscrapers. But, there is an end to it, with the end of Manhattan Island. There is no ending in Shanghai, a home to 18 million residents. The Forbidden City is 950 acres, compared to the 40 acres of The University of Texas campus. That’s the thing with China. Everything is so much bigger and more advanced than we could have imagined.
For our first full day in Beijing, we visited Airbus, had lunch at the Capital Club, and then visited UBS Private Wealth Management. The UBS directors had both attended UT Austin and were very sharp. We had a two-hour Q&A session with them, answering questions about the prosperity of the Chinese market, the stock exchanges in China and Hong Kong, and the investment opportunities (and restrictions) in China.
Among the highlights of the trip were our Chinese teammates from Shanghai Jiao Tung University. Isabella, Andy, Maggie, Raymond and Jeffrey (their Americanized names) were incredibly friendly, intelligent, generous and funny. They introduced us to some of the finer Chinese cuisines—namely chicken feet, frog, tongue and tripe. One of the highlights was the night they took us to a nice restaurant in the PuDong District. The restaurant was partitioned into several sections, each representing a different dynasty from China’s history. We had dinner in a private room followed by a dress-up party in which the waiters dressed all of us in traditionally Chinese garb. Our group of six American students drew plenty of laughs from the locals with our whole-hearted willingness to dress up, combined with our two-day working knowledge of Mandarin.
Greece and Turkey
Full-Time MBA Global Trip Heather Wong, MBA ’08
Bargaining at the Grand Bazaar is a social art, and is done over Turkish tea (strong black) or apple tea (more like cider)—both scalding. It starts with schmoozing—something we at business school are well-trained for—and with developing a friendly rapport, then moving into a discussion of what you want to buy.
At the spice market, also known as the Egyptian market, there were tons of spices, everywhere. Turkish saffron can be purchased very cheaply at 50 grams for 2 lira (about $1.50). Shopkeepers are even more aggressive than at the Grand Bazaar, going so far as to grab customers by the arm! Several key selling techniques: “Lady, lady, let me help you spend your money!” “Spend some money for your honey!” “Best price—everything free!” and so forth.
On Sunday, we toured the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. It was fascinating to see the Muslim culture. I think it was also my first time having to take off shoes to enter a holy building. Prayer bells ring throughout the day, all over the city. During the soccer game we went to tonight (a huge game between Istanbul teams one and two), we saw some policemen taking time off of their riot duty to lay out their mats, face Mecca and pray!
Michael Paulos, MBA ’07
On Tuesday we went sightseeing. The tour guide took us to the Hagia Sophia and the underground cistern. The Hagia Sophia was incredible—what an interesting juxtaposition of two world religions. You have Muslim calligraphy next to a mural of Jesus. The underground cistern was fascinating too. The highlight here was the engraved Medusa heads.
Friday, many of the ALBA (Athens Laboratory of Business Administration, a graduate school of business in Greece) students joined us for the day of lectures. I enjoyed speaking to many of them. The students I met were mostly from Greece, but I did meet one student from South Africa. The school had a very interesting history, which the dean spoke about at length in his opening remarks. The school seemed genuinely happy to host us.
Saturday brought a side trip down to Delphi. To me, this was a highlight of the trip. Dean Gau joined us again for the entire day. The ruins were amazing. Above the ruins was an ancient Olympic venue. After a visit to the museum in Delphi, we adjourned to a restaurant for lunch. The meal was good but not great—the best part was the vegetable appetizers. The main course was fish, but a fish with the skin, tail and head still attached.
Italy
Fall 2006 Semester AbroadIlya Kuperman, Marketing Junior
While hiking a windy path through the five towns of Cinque Terra on the Mediterranean coast south of Milan, we passed through the picturesque town of Vernazza. The houses, boats and people seemed to be stuck in time, and the aerial view provided an even more historic panorama. It was one of the first of many moments where I thought to myself, “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Studying in Milan was by far the most amazing experience of my college career, if not my entire life. Every possible moment was spent traveling, socializing, exploring different cultures and seeing things I could never have even dreamt existed.
Hong Kong
Fall 2006 Semester AbroadLaurel Wang, BHP and Finance Senior
Hong Kong was a gateway to visit many different countries, such as mainland China, Macau, Thailand and the Philippines. My experience was focused around facing new trials and learning how to not only deal with them, but how to appreciate the opportunity to grow and learn from the experiences. Tigers are supposed to be the most deadly of the big cats, the best swimmers and the highest jumpers. Having gotten the chance to sit with and pet around 16 different non-sedated tigers, I have experienced nature’s full power and beauty.
Teresa Kwok, Accounting Senior Studying abroad in Hong Kong was the best decision I’ve ever made in college. Hong Kong is an amazing international city, providing a great mix of city life, country/quiet life outside the city, culture, modern architecture, shopping, beaches, mountain hiking, water sports, delicious food, and is an easy outlet to other international cities all over Asia.
India
Full-Time MBA Global TripSheila Gupta, MBA ’08
India is a land that can’t be captured in words or pictures. It is felt when you get off the plane and absorb the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty, of technology and tradition, of culture and modernization, and of chaos and tranquility.
We visited economic powerhouses, political icons and business authorities. We toured religious monuments, breathtaking historical sights and beautiful beaches. We tasted delicious cuisines from all over the country. But most importantly, we met and talked to loads of people who never ceased to inspire me with their sincerity, invincible spirit and endless kindness.
Priyanka Malhotra, MBA ’08 We met with India’s railway minister because he is responsible for the turnaround of the Indian railways from a loss-making firm into one with profits in excess of $4.7 billion. A managerial feat! He spoke to us at length about being honest and about having a vision and determination.
By getting so much attention in India, we are now on the radar of many bright and intelligent prospective Indian students as a school of first choice. It felt great to be live on TV and in the newspapers, but it was also a great way for us to tell prospective Indian students how exceptional the students from McCombs are and how much we are learning and giving back to our community.
Vietnam
Houston/Dallas MBA Global TripJeffery Goza, MBA ’08
Before the trip, I suggested that our combined Houston/Dallas MBA class could perform a charitable act by visiting an orphanage and making a donation that would help improve the lives of the children, giving back to the community we were there to learn from. The trip coordinators searched for and found a worthy organization, “Vietnam Friendship Village.” VFV is a place where children with Agent Orange-related deformities and other disabilities receive needed medical attention, general education and vocational training to help them integrate into society. Everyone was on board and excited about the opportunity. On New Year’s Day we took the trip from Hanoi to VFV, meeting with the director and the wonderful children who, despite their issues, were happy and excited about life and the opportunities that lie ahead of them. Experiencing the culture and learning about the economic and political changes in Vietnam highlights not only the responsibilities of influential business leaders and government officials but created a unique learning opportunity regarding global business and politics.
Chile
Full-Time MBA Global TripAntonio Centeno, MBA ’07
The Central Bank in Santiago is a very impressive building. When we got there, we were ushered into a large conference room that appeared to be the place where most of Chile’s economic decisions are made. Our initial host was a young woman who gave us a brief overview and then introduced us to Leonardo Hernandez, the deputy general manager of the Central Bank. For the next hour Leonardo gave us an inside view into what has made Chile so successful and what they are doing at the Central Bank to ensure the country remains competitive. Afterward he answered questions from the group. It seemed that no question was too small, and I was happy to get one in myself.
Fall 2006 Semester in ChileBrian Smiley, Finance Senior
My incredible semester abroad ended with the most spectacular trip of my life. Finishing school, backpacking through Patagonia, and boarding a boat from Ushuaia, Argentina (the southernmost city in the world) brought me to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. I spent eight days exploring the frozen continent, which is the driest, highest and coldest of all seven continents. My time abroad was filled with adventures all over South America. From skiing in the Andes, hitchhiking through a national park, visiting one of the world’s largest deserts, horseback riding on a pristine beach, and even flying a private plane around the country, my semester abroad was the pinnacle of my college experience to date.
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