Below are testimonials from several of the students that participated in the International Study Tour – China 2018.

Explore the photo album of the entire trip here.

“Professionally, this trip has provided me with better communication skills and expanded my network. It has also provided me with a more global mindset which will help me make important decisions in the future.

Personally, I have gained so much more. I learned how to depend on myself and my skills. I gained confidence in myself and my peers. My previous notions about China were all false and I have made that change. I also learned so much more about myself, my abilities, and my limits. My goals and aspirations also became clearer as a result of this trip.”

“Professionally, I have gained knowledge of how one of the other superpowers of the world works and I have seen how globalization has helped economies rise. I was able to visit the Shanghai Stock Exchange and as a finance major this was very interesting and I appreciate the experience. After visiting China and gaining this experience I would like to work on an international level. To be successful in business, professionals have to be knowledgeable of other cultures and have to be able to understand them as well. The cultural experience I had has changed my perception of the world and I look forward to gaining more experiences like these in the future.

Personally, I feel enlightened and I am more grateful for the sacrifices my parents made to immigrate to the United States. When I was in China I was a foreigner and through that experience I was able to put myself in my parents shoes and I was able to understand how they felt when they came to the United States. For the first time in my life I was not able to read, write, or speak the language of the country I was in and I was able to understand the hardship my parents went through. Sharing experiences with the Chinese students was very interesting and humbling because we are all going through the same things and trying to better ourselves. I believe trips like this aid in combating the negative associations made with immigrants or with people who are of other ethnicities.”

“I have never visited a different country before so this trip was eye-opening. The language barrier made things a little difficult but we managed and were able to communicate through other means. I gained a higher level of appreciation for the U.S.A. I was unaware that other countries are deprived of everyday rights such as free access to the Internet. It was interesting talking with the students and seeing how they are scared to talk about certain topics. We have many opportunities in the U.S.A. and I will certainly not take any of them for granted.”

“Yes! I would recommend it to a friend… it is an opportunity everyone should try to experience and step out of their comfort zone to learn more about the world.”

“I would absolutely recommend this trip. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Not only did we get to experience a different culture, we had the opportunity to see what it was like to be a student in a different country and compare our experiences to theirs. It was also a great bonding experience among our own student group and we really got to make great friends that I hope will stay in contact for a very long time.”

“It was an amazing experience. I saw new things, tried new foods, and met new people. I do not think that it would have been possible to learn and experience as much as I did if I had went to China alone or on another type of tour. I feel that we did everything possible and I did not miss out on anything while in China. This trip also made me wish that I had studied abroad one of my semesters while in college.”