10 Reasons for Terps to Study Abroad

Outside the walls of Van Munching Hall, Terps of all ages are traveling the world. Why should you study abroad during your time here at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business? Read these tips from Smith students to see how studying abroad can broaden your global mindset and help you tackle the job market, both internationally and domestically.

Learn more about Smith’s global community next week when Smith celebrates International Education Week.

1. Satisfy your wanderlust

“I wanted to see another culture and experience another part of the world. I had never been out of the country before,” said senior international business and supply chain management major Allison Collins, who studied at Peking University in Beijing.

2. Visit unique places and sites

Learn about monuments, statues, art and architecture in a classroom doesn’t compare experiencing these things in person. On a trip to the United Arab Emirates, “we visited the world’s tallest building and the world’s fastest roller coaster,” said Jerry Gu, junior operations management and finance major. “Dubai and Abu Dhabi are known for a lot of number ones.”

3. Meet new people

Meeting new people is a huge part of studying abroad, whether from UMD or from around the world. Going abroad with a tight-knit group of students gives you the chance to connect through mutual experiences. Anthony Trinh, a junior in the QUEST honors program, went on a short-term trip to China with other QUEST students. “I loved my QUEST cohort before I left, but after we went, we shared a special bond that you could not get from just another class,” he said.

4. Learn about different business models and practices

Roel Petri, a senior accounting major, visited SAP and Amazon in Munich, and Tate and Majestic Athletics in London, giving him the chance to compare and contrast the different business models. “Not only did I have a good understanding of how business was conducted and how innovation worked, but also how that is expressed at an individual company level,” Petri said, adding it was helpful to learn that “there is no such thing as a cookie cutter model. Ideas and innovation will move a company forward.”

5. Combat stereotypes

“A lot of preconceptions you’ll have about a country may not necessarily be true,” Jerry Gu said. “The news often focuses on the negatives of a country without mention of the positives.” While abroad in the UAE, Gu “learned that they’re spending and investing a lot of their money in a lot of renewable technology – something that you don’t necessarily hear about all the time.”

6. Cultural experiences

“At first, studying abroad in China was the hardest thing I’d ever done. Learning the language while with trying to cope with culture shock made for an interesting first month or two,” Allison Collins said. “Then studying abroad went from being the hardest to the best thing I’d ever done. Different cultures do things differently – sometimes the American way is better, and sometimes it’s not. Embracing that fact will help you see the world in a better light.”

7. Experience learning beyond classroom walls

“All my life, I had learned in a classroom – but this experience taught me that learning can't and shouldn't be restricted to a desk and a textbook,” Anthony Trinh said. “Out there in the real world, you can learn so much in so little time. I could practically feel myself growing as a thinker and an individual.”

8. Gain a competitive edge in the work force

“In the interviews I've had so far, studying business practices in China has been a big topic of discussion, which I think helps me out a lot,” said Anthony Trinh.

Allison Collins agreed: “In our globalized economy, so many large firms are looking to hire people who understand how other cultures function. Having an understanding of that before you graduate makes you much more competitive and really gives you a foot in the door.”

9. Make connections

“I made a fair number of connections over in China and have a stack of business cards from the corporate visits we went on,” Anthony Trinh said, adding that using these resources and connections will help him build a global professional network.

10. Food

Going abroad gives you numerous opportunities to try new cuisines, and experience one of the largest parts of any culture. Jerry Gu, who said experiencing different foods was one of the main reasons he wanted to study abroad, said “I ate like a king for a good 10 days straight.”

Roel Petri, said the best things he ate were desserts he tried at a gourmet bakery in the center of Munich. In China, Allison Collins said the street vendor food in Beijing was her cuisine of choice. For Anthony Trinh, the dumplings in Shanghai at a 6-floor restaurant – each floor featured a specialty dumpling – took the win. 

Have you had an amazing study abroad experience? Comment below and let us know your thoughts and questions! And don’t forget to participate in next week’s International Education Week #IEW2014.

- Erica Bonelli, Intern, Office of Marketing Communications