BY KAYLA RASMUSSEN

In September, I wrote an article about why going on a study abroad trip is beneficial to education. I wanted to share about my experience on a study abroad trip to further explain what value these trips can be. In the Summer of 2022, the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Taxation programs at Weber State University offered students a trip to Italy. We got to travel to Milan, Rome, and Sorrento during our short 10-day visit to the country.

We spent a few days in each city touring Italian businesses and hearing educational presentations on how each company conducts business. The companies that were visited included the Italy Chamber of Commerce, Boeing, the U.S. Embassy, and many others.

These visits were filled with information and a chance for us to ask questions. It was interesting to learn how business is conducted differently in another country and to learn how they conduct business with the U.S. This opportunity helped provide new insights on business practices that we could take back to the companies we work for. It also opened eyes to understand what struggles other countries face in business that the U.S. does not.

When we were not visiting businesses, we went on guided tours of many historic places. We visited the Colosseum, the Duomo, Vatican City, and the Trevi Fountain. It was a great way to learn about the history of Italy and be able to appreciate its culture. During the trip, we also had free time to visit any other sites that we wanted to see or activities we wanted to do. Some of these experiences included seeing an Italian soccer game, a visit to the Rome Italy Temple, shopping, and more sightseeing.

The experiences on this trip were monumental and cannot be duplicated in a classroom. We were given a chance to understand how real businesses operate, learn about the world we live in, and get outside of our comfort zone. Getting out of this comfort zone is where growth occurs. I encourage all college students to try to take a study abroad trip and obtain this experience.

Interested in taking a trip with Weber State University? Visit their website at weber.edu/studyabroad. If you attend another school, check their study abroad office for a list of trips offered!

If you attend Weber State University, the following trips will be offered in 2023:
Costa Rica
Italy
Japan
Germany