Elon Law and MBA students met with top business and law leaders in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Cuba and the Cayman Islands through collaborative international business courses.
In the course, students analyzed U.S.-based businesses operating in China before the trip, then visited those businesses during the trip to see their operations and speak with executives first-hand about the challenges and opportunities of doing business in China.
“My biggest take away from this trip is that the world may not always be what we think of it as,” said MBA student James Campbell. “The legal system and business environment always looks black and white when it’s written down, but until you talk to people that operate within these systems for a living and see it for yourself you don’t really know. The blend of Elon MBA and Law students was a fascinating way to broaden perspective on the trip and visits. We challenged one another with tough questions and were enlightened by one another’s areas of knowledge.”
“Visiting Shanghai on China’s mainland and then the island of Hong Kong made for an interesting contrast of how two cities of the same country do business slightly differently,” said third-year law student Keshia McDonald. “The trip was a lot of fun and a great learning experience. It was great that MBA and law students were able to come together and provide different perspectives to doing business internationally. Law students also had the opportunity to bring MBA students into our world when visiting international law firm Paul Hastings.”
This is the fifth consecutive year that Elon’s law school and MBA program have collaborated in a joint winter term course with a study abroad component.
Faculty and staff leading the trip were: Associate Professor of Law Thomas Molony; Adjunct Professor of Law Jack Hicks, who is also a veteran patent law attorney with Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP; and, Frank S. Holt, Jr. Professor of Business Leadership Robert Moorman.
With respect to other sites during the Shanghai portion of the trip, students had the opportunity to visit Temples, fishing villages, Big Buddha, hike the Dragon’s Back trail and explore the city of Shanghai by participating in a scavenger hunt. The class also experienced many authentic Chinese meals.
CAYMEN ISLANDS AND CUBA
“The opportunity to travel to Havana, Cuba, and George Town, Cayman Islands, was unforgettable,” said third-year law student Ben Woody. “Rarely can a student embrace an opportunity to compare economic systems so diametrically opposed to one another, and I’m very fortunate that Elon University afforded me that opportunity. Exposing business-themed concepts to law students expands our points of reference as marketable attorneys.”
“My trip to Cuba and the Cayman’s reminded me of the vast amount of opportunities available to those who wish to practice law,” said third-year law student Kaalil Muhammad. “Lawyers make a difference both in the courtroom and far beyond those walls as well.”
The student contingent included third-year law students Ben Woody, Peyton Mansure, Kaalil Muhammad, Ami Ba and John Evans, MBA students Allison Cardella, Mark Lasher, Cale Murray, Ann Stoehr and Emily Sweitzer, and JD/MBA students Hunter Fede L’14 and Tony Huynh L’14.
Reporting for this article contributed by Keshia McDonald L’14.