The global experience helped participants “break down cultural walls.”
By Johnny Sadler '20
During Winter Term, a group of Elon students immersed themselves in Vietnamese culture, customs, history, and business environment for the Business and Culture of Vietnam study abroad course.
Led by Assistant Professor Todd Stonitsch and Assistant Professor Jongwan Bae from the Department of Finance, the course aimed to show students the booming business culture of Vietnam, taking them through various parts of the country. Over the course of three weeks, students developed self-awareness and confidence through exposure to the business culture of Vietnam. Additionally, they analyzed the interconnectedness of global systems by listening to talks from distinguished Vietnamese professionals.
“This course allowed me to see the world in a new way,” said Ryan Seid ’21, an art history and business double major who participated in the course. “Elon has allowed me to expand my view and knowledge on Asia that broke down my cultural walls and expanded my world view to new horizons.”
The group visited various companies throughout Vietnam. Some of these included: the Hanoi Stock Exchange, Topica Edtech Group, EURASIA, An Nhien Farm, Jonathan Charles Furniture Factory and the Mekong Delta markets. In between business visits, students also had the opportunity to see many cultural sites, including the Ho Chi Min Museum, Tien Ong Cave, Hanoi Opera House, The Imperial Palace, Thien Mu Pagoda, and War Remnants Museum.
“The people of Vietnam were nothing but kind, and were always willing to share their culture with our group," said Sara Fazli ’20, a strategic communications major. "This course connected me with intelligent business leaders and made me more of a global citizen.”