Study abroad - without leaving the US

Written by staff blogger Cristina Ruiz Imagine stepping into a room and hearing at least 4 different languages being spoken. Or sitting down for a Thanksgiving meal and tasting kimchee and aloo gobi alongside the turkey and mashed potatoes. Although they haven’t left their home country, American students are the cultural minority at Hult – often for the first time in their lives. For students from the United States, the Hult experience carries a unique new set of challenges – as well as transformative global exposure. Imagine stepping into a room and hearing at least 4 different languages being spoken. Or sitting down for a Thanksgiving meal and tasting kimchee and aloo gobi alongside the turkey and mashed potatoes. A classroom that is just as challenging â€Å"In many ways, being at Hult is as challenging as being in a foreign country,† current Hult Boston MBA Emma Rentz from Washington DC described. And this unique challenge is the reason many American students decide to come to Hult. Charity Maddox, current MIB at Hult Boston from North Carolina, explained, â€Å"I chose Hult because I could have the world in one class†¦ I have stepped out of my comfort zone and have started learning new languages, gestures, and foods.† It allowed Zachary Murrell, current Hult Boston MIB from Iowa, to experience a completely different social and educational environment: â€Å"For me, that means being a minority for the first time in my life. There is no one single majority ethnically or nationally. It allows all perspectives to be heard and gives you a taste of how different social and professional conventions are throughout the world.† Steve Kenton, MBA Boston ’16 from Seattle, explained, â€Å"When we are put in a position to work or study with people that come from completely opposite backgrounds from ourselves, it is at places like Hult where we see people adapt and make it work at least those teams that succeed. I found this to be the most rewarding aspect of my Hult experience; having little or no say about who I work with and then taking the strengths, weaknesses, and backgrounds of a group of individuals and finding creative ways to harness each of these traits into a positive outcome for everyone.† Seeing your own culture through a new lens Students from the US on our Boston and San Francisco campuses often find themselves acting as American cultural ambassadors. â€Å"I get stuck calculating the tip a lot,† Emma joked. But this experience also allows them to view US customs in a new light. Elizabeth Carey, current MIB student at Hult Boston from Connecticut, said, â€Å"It’s nice to discover it all again with people who never have. The first-day people got excited over a yellow school bus because it had ‘been in lots of high school movies’ when this was something I had used for years and years without a second thought.† Steve Kenton said, â€Å"I was shocked at the kinds of preconceived notions my fellow students had of the US and the opportunity to dispel some, learn about our culture, and have a truly transformational experience in my country was something I was keen to facilitate.† â€Å"My peers are coming from different countries, almost all having never lived in California before, and this creates an environment in which everyone is at once discovering a new place together and creating a local social scene from scratch,† current Hult San Francisco MBA John Rosenthal from Texas explained, â€Å"This is a more enthralling experience than attending a domestic school with local MBAs who are already set in their local social circles and habits of life.† Diane Tran, current Hult Boston MIB from Massachusetts, shared, â€Å"Being an American, especially a local, is an oddity here, but I have enjoyed learning the customs of other countries and developing friendships along the way. The best part has been introducing my new friends and classmates to the city and the state that I know best and that I love.† Friends in every corner of the world The global experience gained at Hult doesn’t cease once students graduate. Regardless of where Hult alumni end up living, there are always opportunities to strengthen and expand one’s Hult network. â€Å"Now that I’ve graduated and moved back to New York, I’ve had the opportunity to support many Hultians during visits for interviews by providing a place to stay and/or extending my network,† Shannta Badgett, Hult San Francisco MBA ’16 from New York City, shared, â€Å"The world seems so much smaller now.† Steve Kenton’s Hult experience has carried on into his career in Development Communications at Banfield Foundation in Portland, Oregon: â€Å"You must think global when you think about business. Being able to understand business through a global lens and being able to implement your classroom learnings into diverse teams will only serve to separate the business good from the business great in years to come.† If you would like to find out more about Hult’s business programs,  download a brochure here. Cristina Ruiz is a staff blogger based on Hult’s Boston campus. Her interests include travel, education, marketing, and finding the best food. She loves sharing the impressive and innovative things Hult students, faculty, and alumni are doing and giving people a taste of what life is like for a North American at Hult. Kickstart your career in this education and innovation hotspot by studying at Hults Boston business school. To find out more, take a look at our blog Decisions, decisions: making the choice to study abroad. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .