I have always tried to keep an open mind, but I think this quality in me has grown drastically since the beginning of my college career.  I have learned to listen to different perspectives and give everyone a chance to share their point of view.  I also find that seeing different perspectives is very valuable.  Becoming open to different perspectives has helped me in my academic life and will continue to help me in my career.  My time both abroad and home at USC has shown me the value of diverse perspectives and how I can utilize them in my life.

In IBUS 310, the main learning objectives were to develop a strong understanding of the global dimensions of business and an appreciation of the impact of culture on the conduct of business.  I analyzed many case studies from a variety of perspectives and was asked to debate on the subjects of the case.  I was assigned a stakeholder and was tasked with advocating on the stakeholder’s behalf.   By doing this, I was able to see where each side was coming from.  For example, in examining a fair trade case I saw the perspectives of the different governments, the companies involved, and the employees.  The way the class was designed the students really had the chance to “step into others’ shoes.”  This helped me to understand different perspectives, and I now have a broader, more nuanced view of the world that can help me in doing business in other countries.  The other part of the class focused on differences in doing business in other countries.  I learned how important it is to adapt to other cultures and for me to do that, I need to understand different perspectives. 

I had the chance to see diverse perspectives during my time in Spain, both in my school life and my social life.  I went to school with people from all over the world including Western Europe, Australia, China, Mauritius, and Morocco.  By learning with these students and listening to their answers to questions asked in class, I began to value diverse perspectives more.  I also was able to hear different views on the financial crisis that I might not have heard in America.  With my social life, I heard many views on different subjects including politics, sports, and current events.  I was able to set some of my European friends straight on some American misconceptions (not all Americans are gun crazy) and they enlightened me on some European misconceptions.  Overall, studying in Spain has enabled me to think in a different way and take into account many diverse views when forming opinions.

The diverse perspectives I heard on the financial crisis really stuck with me.  I watch the news constantly and try to stay up to date on what is happening on Wall Street.  I also am studying finance and have always been interested in the financial crisis of 2007-2008.  I took several finance classes while I was abroad and it was very interesting to hear the Spanish perspective on what happened in 2008.  In the news, I constantly hear of the economic problems Spain, Greece, Portugal, and Italy are still experiencing.   The news in America tends to be critical of these countries, particularly of Greece.  While I was in Spain, I heard a different story.  I heard a story that did not criticize Greece or Italy, but criticized America.  My professor and students talked about the effect the actions on Wall Street had on the whole world.  This deeper understanding of the financial crisis has enlightened me.  It has also taught me that my actions when I work in finance one day might not just affect my company or my country, but they could affect the whole world.  I think this is important to note because it is easy to do things on Wall Street that lean towards the other side of ethical and how easy it is to forget the consequences of your actions.  When I begin to work, I will keep these diverse perspectives in mind.

I include a  “wordy” PowerPoint in this portfolio because it looks a little different than my PowerPoint presentations that I have created for assignments in America.  I was working on a group project and there were a few Americans, a Spanish student, and a Moroccan student.  We created the PowerPoint, initially, like we would in America, with few words and only hitting the main points.  The Spanish student, however, pointed out that in Spain, professors really like to see everything that is going to be said on the PowerPoint.  By hearing her perspective, we understood how the professor would grade and adapted our presentation to fit her description.   We ended up doing really well on the project.

I also include an excerpt from my application to study abroad that touched on my goals for my semester abroad.  I talked about how I wanted to work with international students and learn how to adjust to a foreign culture.  Looking back, I have accomplished these goals and more.  Not only have I learned how to adjust to foreign cultures, but I have also learned the value of different perspectives and cultures.