During my time in undergrad at UBalt, I had heard of the Global Field Studies program. When I made the decision to continue onto my MBA, I decided to learn all I could about the possibilities, which began with an information session that Merrick School of Business Dean Murray Dalziel, Prof. Dennis Pitta, Professor Eusebio Scornavacca and others lead.
In Ghana, we split into small groups and worked closely with startups, learning about their staff, products and their business. We would begin every morning with breakfast together and then break off into our groups to meet with our businesses. Some of us had to travel further than others. We would than come back for dinner together and then we would gather again into our teams to assess what we had come to realize. The last day of our trip we were to give a presentation about the companies and our recommendations for them moving forward.
In Thailand, our trip was very different than Ghana. We had a large group, and spent our time traveling through our days together. Instead of working with small groups and individual companies, we rode together to visit businesses in Thailand, including Unilever and rice factories. We experienced how business was done on large and small scales.
The trip to Greece was a combination of the Ghana and Thailand trip. We were split into groups for this trip as well and were to give recommendations as consultants to the startups we were working with. We also visited large companies and got to travel and learn about other industries on a broader scale rather than one more closely.
My reason for continuing on to my custom MBA was to continue to grow my businesses and better myself. Little did I know that these global studies would allow that and much more. As a singer-songwriter, I had an international following including a song on the European charts. For my businesses, I wear many hats—literally and figuratively—which leave me with tasks including marketing, logistics, and more.
With a strong passion for entrepreneurship, I saw the global trips as a great opportunity to learn about culture and to continue to grow personally and professionally. During these trips I learned that I have a stronger passion for entrepreneurship than I realized. I was able to open my mind and think about my businesses and how I could create a niche for success. I learned so much from my peers, professors, and those we met in these breathtaking countries. I made friends and memories for a lifetime which have truly changed me.