The Value of Hands-On Learning

Nathan Henshaw
Business Council Member
Senior in Economics and International Business

Last Summer I was able to participate as an intern for the Small Enterprise Education and Development program, commonly known as the SEED program, in Ghana. Prior to leaving I never imagined I would have learned so much through personal experience. I learned several skills and lessons that have been, and will always be, valuable to me personally. However, perhaps the most important skill I was able to develop is my ability to think critically and solve problems. The autonomist nature of the program empowers the interns to take personal ownership of their experience and enables them with a real hands-on learning opportunities. Here are two simple illustrations.

Critical Thinking

One day a man came to my assigned partner and me to ask for a loan. He had some mechanical skills with cars and wanted to start repairing tires and changing oil in a neighboring village. We considered the potential risks and returns from the proposed investment and we visited his village several times to analyze the industry. We made the decision to issue a loan for his business idea. He was able to service several cars each day and paid off his loan within a few months, despite his loan being a 12-month loan. This experience helped me gain confidence that I can analyze real situations and not simply textbook problems.

Problem Solving

Part of the SEED experience is teaching classes. After class one day, I was approached by three men who had started a fish farm together. They had received a loan for approximately $600, between the three of them. This amount of money is nearly twice the average income for a single family in that area because most people live on less than one dollar per day. With some hesitation these men asked if they could speak with me about their loan payments. They explained that their fish farm dried up and they had lost everything. This was a big problem for them and their families.

Nathan Henshaw and a fellow student with some Ghana children
 during their time with the SEED program.

After several days of considering different business ideas and consulting with our professor, we came in contact with a friend who was looking to start a business. He had an idea to have these three men start managing a snail farm for him. They were able to do this and paid off their debt rather rapidly. They also qualified for another loan to grow a pepper farm.

These types of experiences don’t occur in the classroom. However, I know I was prepared to analyze these situations because of the preparation I received from several professors and mentors. I have loved my experience at the Huntsman School of Business — the quality of teaching is exceptional. I enjoy the classroom setting and learning from fellow students and the faculty. I am grateful for hands-on learning opportunities and to be able to put into practice some of the business principles I have learned. I believe the education I received in Ghana last summer was invaluable. 

    

A Student's Farewell to the Huntsman School of Business

With graduation coming up, I will soon leave Logan and the Huntsman School of Business, the place that became my second home. With all the graduation stress, I often reflect back to summer of 2010, when I first came to Logan and became part of the Aggie spirit. Being an international student, there were a lot of things I had to overcome. I was in a foreign country with a different culture and language, I had to make new friends and was about to start a new chapter in my life away from my family and friends. I was worried, scared, but most of all, very excited. Back then, I had no idea what kind of amazing adventure it was going to be.

 

Perhaps, the biggest challenge I faced in Logan was making new friends. In the beginning, my circle of friends was limited to other Armenian students at USU. However, as soon as classes started, I began to make new friends, mostly by participating to Business School activities. Today I am proud to have friends from all over the world. Each of them has opened my mind and has taught me to look at things differently, in a way that I would have never done had I not met them.

 

If I had to identify one important life lesson I learned at the Huntsman School of Business it would be to never limit aspirations, because the only limited thing is time. One has to make the most out of it, explore, learn, and enjoy every moment, since it only happens once. Three years ago I would never have thought that I would attend a Microsoft presentation in Paris, meet business leaders from around the world, or get to see the breathtaking view of Machu Picchu in Peru or climb the Great Wall of China. All of those were life-changing experiences I had while at school. 

Sometimes I think back and wonder what my life would have been like if I had continued my studies in Armenia. Of course I cannot find an answer to that question, but I certainly have no regrets with my choice of coming to Utah State. If I had stayed back home, I would not have gained the same competitive academic knowledge, I would not have travelled as much, and most importantly, I would not have met the number of amazing people from around the world.

 

I will soon be starting another chapter of my life, and again, just like three years ago, I am scared, worried, and of course excited. There is a lot of uncertainty, which makes me wonder what the future will be like, where I will end up three years from now. Sometimes I wonder if I could meet the future Anna, the one that has overcome this new uncertainty, and listen to what she has to tell me. Hopefully, her advice to me would be the same: “Explore, learn and enjoy every given moment without any regrets." And perhaps this is also my advice to other international students who are to become part of the Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University.

— Anna Vardanyan
     Senior at the Huntsman School of Business

The Student-Mother That Studied Abroad

For many non-traditional students, study abroad doesn’t seem like an option.  There are factors that have to be considered that regular students do not understand. These considerations, such as child juggling and income are inconvenient at best, but not insurmountable. As a mother of two children, getting the best education possible is vital to me, and I haven’t found a better way of achieving that education than by broadening my horizons by studying abroad. Many people have asked me how I can be a mom and a student, and still manage to attend school full time, and even study abroad. The answer is something a wise person told me, “The best investment you can make and get the most return is in yourself”. That might sound selfish, but think of it this way, if I don't get a good education and take advantage of all the opportunities that I have, I won’t be able to give as good of a life to my children, and I won’t be setting the example that I would want them to follow. 

There are things you have to do to be able to study abroad as a non-traditional student. First and most importantly, you need to understand that study abroad is important, and that developing a global mentality will help you in your future, to get a job, and to broaden the horizons of your children.  Second, you need the support of those around you. Third, you have to have a good plan of how you are going to accomplish it.  Even when all of your ducks are in a row, you will miss your family greatly, but at worst I only had to go a few days before I could see them on Skype, which made the distance much more bearable.

Trying to raise children while going to school is also expensive. Studying abroad adds to the expense, but is very doable. The most important step is to decide to go, because as an old saying says, “where there is a will, there is a way.” If you make up your mind to go it will happen. There are always little things that you can cut out, like eating out or renting movies, and if you talk to the financial aid office, you will find there is money for just this sort of thing.  If you tell yourself you can’t, it won’t happen. Once you find the money, you will also have to justify taking time away from your family. No mom and student’s house is as clean as he/she wants it to be, and meals aren’t as healthy as they ought to be, but for me the choice was clear. If I spent just two weeks abroad, I would be a full semester closer to graduation, and closer to giving my children the life they deserve.

The last time I studied abroad was in Russia and Turkey with the Huntsman School of Business. I was three months pregnant. The schedule was rigorous and I was battling morning sickness and fatigue, but if I had not gone when I did, I might never have had the chance. The experiences I had will stay with me for the rest of my life. I was able to network not only with my peers, who will be a great resource in the future, but with both American and foreign companies, giving me a leg up when I graduate and start looking for a job. I also had two other great takeaways from the experience; a glimpse and a better understanding of the people and countries that I visited, and hands-on experience with the concepts and ideas we hear about in the classroom but rarely have the chance to see firsthand.

The most important thing for me to remember has been to make the most of my time at the University. It has always been tempting to simply graduate. I want to be home with my children much more than I am, but even though I could spend a little more time with them right now, I would not be able to provide them with the same quality of life that I can with a global perspective and great education. I had experiences that I can tell them about, and peoples and places that I can describe to them firsthand. I want my children to know what is out there so that they will be motivated to go experience it themselves when they have the chance.

— Cynthia Reeder
Huntsman student in Business Administration

Why Not?

I was raised in a small rural town that seemed to never change.  It wasn’t that I was told that I could not or even that I should not, but other than by my parents, I rarely recall being expected or inspired often enough to lead me to become better than who I was, or who my peers and their parents were.  Opportunities to grow were scarce.  I didn’t know many people who had gone anywhere or done anything beyond what was culturally established by previous generations, no one to clear the path for me to follow.  I did know, however, that the lifestyle I grew up in, though it suits many, was not for me.  I wanted something more.

So two summers ago, I visited many historically significant buildings across Europe.  While I was there, I was exposed to new cultures and experienced new peoples, learning their ways of business.  A year later, I had the opportunity to teach underprivileged people in South America so that they might live a better life. I was able to give them the chance to show the world who they really are by helping them apply business principles that I had previously learned.

I took advantage of opportunities that enabled me to admire the work of Leonardo Di Vinci and other greats at the Hermitage and Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, and then later, stood in awe between the Haggia Sofia Mosque and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, all the while being exposed to businesses throughout Europe.  I touched the ancient walls of Machu Picchu and ran through the streets of Cuzco in Peru, while aiding others to become their best selves. 

These Go Global experiences are not just something that I did and that I can add to my resume, they are events that have changed my perspectives, my desires, and my ambitions.  I have come to appreciate the value of living my life in other terms than “can and cannot.”  I now understand that there is literally no limit to what I can accomplish, as long as I am willing to do what it takes to get it done.

Each of us is flooded with opportunities at every turn, even if we sometimes have to look for them.  We have the extraordinary ability to use those opportunities to change who we are and consequently change the world around us for the better.   The real question now is not necessarily could I, or should I, the question is … why not?

— Mark Bailey 

Mark Bailey is a Huntsman student who participated in a summer program in 2011 and the SEED program in 2012. He is currently studying finance and economics with a minor in operations management.

My Job-Hunting Journey

With graduation just around the corner for me (May 2013), a gnawing question plagues my mind: What am I going to do?

I've found that this formidable question becomes a much easier pill to swallow after deciding between graduate school now and work experience later, or vise versa.  I have decided to get some relevant work experience under my belt before getting into the grad-school scene.  

Once that decision was made, I was free to devote my energy to finding a full-time job. The first thing I did was visit Career Services in the basement of the University Inn.  Maren Stromberg got me set up on Career Aggie (which I now check religiously) and helped me polish up my resume before sending it out.

And then came the hard part.

Applying, applying, applying. I must have filled out more than 50 applications in the months of September and August; most all of which I found on Career Aggie. I started going to recruiting sessions and took off work to go to the Tech Expo and Career Fair. It took about a month before I started seeing replies to all of my applications. Most people said that they were looking for somebody to start in the winter, but to check back in the spring.  

However, I did get the worm on a couple of companies. Northwest Farm Credit Services and Goldman, Sachs & Co. both held info sessions and accepted applications for full-time work starting next May. I applied and luckily landed interviews with both companies.

To hone in some of my interviewing skills, I went to one of the resume activities during LinkedIn Week, where I talked to Prof. Chris Fawson. I asked for some interviewing tips for my interviews and he gave me some great advice: read a current business book and use its key points to frame your answers to difficult questions.

I read the book Drive by Daniel Pink and even had a mock interview with a good friend, Thomas Funk, in preparation. Sure enough, at my Goldman Sachs interview, I was asked an ambiguous question about one of my work experiences, I was able to impress my interviewers by both referencing a popular business book and having a well structured response.

All of my hard work paid off as I was recently offered the job I applied for at Goldman Sachs. I know that my chances increased at least tenfold by preparing well and implementing some great advice from a faculty member who values my success.  

- Carter Holm

Carter Holm is a double major in finance and international business at the Huntsman School of Business. He is a member of the Huntsman School Business Council. 

The Road to Entrepreneurship: Don’t Go it Alone!

Many journeys and successes can be conquered alone. True entrepreneurial success, however, is not a one-person endeavor. There are days in the start-up cycle when cash runs short, equipment fails, customers back out, prices fluctuate adversely and endless obstacles are bound to arise.

On the other hand the finale of solo quests can be anti-climactic when the victor realizes there is no one with whom to share the joy.

As an aspiring entrepreneur, I have already looked down the long and lonely road that I know leads to the success that so many of us seek. It is a road fraught with twists and turns, pitfalls, windfalls, devastating setbacks, and, on occasion, a sunny meadow of short-lived winning streaks that we all hope will last.

The entrepreneurial path is not for everyone, I know, to take those first steps into the unknown and then keep going. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but for the adventurers, the risk-takers, the visionaries, the game-changers, the innovators, the tinkerers. I’m not going to pretend we’re all fearless — that would be a lie.

To help innovators face their fears, we get a few people together who share our vision- who believe what we believe — and we take the journey together.

I’ve never really told anyone this, but I’d like to race yachts someday, full-sized and fully crewed sailboats. It can be safely said that competitive sailing requires teamwork and trust. A truly winning team works in harmony, communicates effectively, encourages one another, and shares in every victory and defeat. Everyone feels ownership and shares responsibility for both the successes and failures.

Every new venture is like a sailboat race: you’ll need a team. When they are discouraged, you re-instill their confidence. When you are discouraged, they support you. You all share in the victories and in the defeats.

For those of you who aspire to achieve this class of entrepreneurial success, get your team together and set sail. Failures will be easier to bear when the load is distributed, and victories will be sweeter when shared.

Do not go it alone.

 -Reed Page

Looking Back on Global Learning Experiences

When I entered college, I knew that I wanted to study business but did not know what I wanted to do.  I remember sitting in the old auditorium of the Taggart Student Center during the first few weeks of college listening to a study abroad presentation from a student who had participated in three study abroad programs.  I thought to myself, wow that is impressive!  I did not realize at the time the impact it would have on me.

Over the course of my freshman year, I decided to study business and I knew that I needed to do something during my time at Utah State to distinguish myself from the thousands of students that would be graduating with business degrees.   Having always had an interest in the global economy, I thought that some kind of international degree would be the differentiator I was looking for.  When the Huntsman School of Business introduced the international business major, I knew it was for me and jumped at the chance to be among the first students with the degree. 

I recognized that if I wanted to work internationally, I needed some international experience.  When the Global Learning Experience program was introduced, I signed right up.  Looking back, this was one of the best choices I made during college. 

The South America program was the gateway into a new way of thinking and seeing the world.  Not only did I get to travel to South America and visit some of the biggest companies in Latin America where I was exposed to a different business culture, but I had fun doing it.  The South America Program was the beginning of a deep love for international business that was nurtured by great faculty and exceptional opportunities.

After the bird’s eye view of many international companies in Latin America, I wanted more.  During fall semester I sought out an internship with BOSCH in Germany for the next summer so I could get more hands on experience in the international business world.  While in Germany, I worked with divisions of BOSCH all over the world.  I loved it.  I came back from that internship with a sharpened business sense, many new skills, an understanding of how to work with people from all over the world, and an increased interest in international business. 

Looking back I can see how those Global Learning Experiences helped prepare me for the global workforce.  I feel that I learned more from the Global Learning Experiences and internships than almost all of my classes combined. Not to say that I didn't learn a lot in my classes, but the knowledge, experience, skills and understanding I gained while participating in these programs provided context for my classwork and prepared me to be effective and successful in the global economy. The Global Learning Experiences truly gave me the competitive advantage I was looking for.

- Josh Kerkmann

Class of 2009

Editor's Note: Josh Kerkmann is an alumnus of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business who was one of the first to participate in the Global Learning Experience program. He is now a consultant at BSM USA Inc.