Summer International Experience at Emlyon in France Gives Lessons in Business and Culture

Summer takes on various forms for different students at Crummer. Some are taking classes at Crummer, others are interning, still others might be working on research. There are even a few who find stimulating opportunities that take them across the globe.  

 After applying during the fall term, Angelina Khourisader ‘24MBA and Bridget Collis ‘24MBA received some exciting news in the spring term—they had been selected to study at Emlyon Business School in Lyon, France for the summer of 2023. 

The courses would take place over the span of about a month with half of the time spent in Advanced Strategic Marketing and the other half in Wine Marketing and Sales. Angelina and Bridget’s credits would count toward their fall semesters. Each of them had their own specific reasons for deciding to go. Due to COVID, Angelina never got to study abroad during her time at Rollins, and she also wanted an international classroom experience. While Bridget has a passion for people, and she believed the best way to understand them was to experience their culture. She also had not yet lived alone, and while she traveled a lot with her family, she wanted to branch out within herself and try things on her own.  

While the classes change each year, these two courses in particular had a lot to offer. Angelina was fascinated by how the French view US marketing and companies—as if they are world leaders—during the Advanced Strategic Marketing course. And both women found the Wine Marketing and Sales course to be delightfully different, getting a really hands-on experience by going on field trips and learning about exporting wine.   

The class style had some similarities and differences from Crummer. They were alike in that the students were in teams and gave presentations, the classes were setup throughout the day with breaks, the instructors were hands-on with the students as well as easy to meet with, there was international student support, and they used Harvard Business case studies with American companies.  

What differentiated the school from Crummer was the more traditional lecture-style the professors used and also the fact that the students had an old-fashioned pen-and-paper exam, something Angelina and Bridget hadn’t done in years. In addition, the students were able to select their team members themselves. The professors taught quite a few business models, some the same as Crummer, but others were new. “It was nice to have such a wide range of perspectives,” Bridget said.  

When asked what their key takeaways were, the women had different responses. Angelina stated, “Three things: first, to be open minded and take in everyone’s different perspectives. We had people from China, Japan, Canada, Italy, the UK, South Africa…all over. Second takeaway would be the US impact in terms of business, their dominance globally. Third is the importance of changing up my environment and reminding myself this was a risk-free classroom, and I could discuss topics freely.” 

Bridget took the course content as a chance to reflect: “I loved the Wine Marketing class. It taught me to appreciate the concept of time. I got to try a bottle of wine from the year I was born. Wine is a symbol of growth and a memory of time passing. It made me wonder what time markers I am leaving.”  

Both women also experienced a few surprises during their Emlyon experience. They each remarked about how amazed they were by the close bond they developed with their fellow classmates, people a variety of ages from all over the world. They still stay in contact with many of them and even became close with a few. Angelina was also surprised by the level of support she received as an international student not only while she was in attendance, but also when she returned home.  

And of course they learned a lot about culture while they were in Lyon. Bridget said, “The food was amazing, and I even did a couple of cooking classes over there. There were beautifully artistic and thought-provoking cities there to dive deep into architecture and artwork.” The women also learned during their wine class how to appropriately drink wine and the correct way to hold a glass according to their French instructor.  

Finally, Angelina sums up a difference in US culture versus others: “The way we worked compared to other international students… We were ready to go, go, go. Others wanted to have dinner first and go slower. It was a good reminder to slow things down and enjoy each other’s company.”  

Overall, both women had a holistic experience that widened their perspective and allowed them to see the world through a different point a view. It will help them with their careers as far as being able to take a global perspective and allowing them to be more open minded toward others on their teams. As Bridget said, “It was a really great experience to take charge of my education and equipped me with the confidence and knowledge to fend for myself in another country.” 

This year’s selected students, Nina Mitrofanova and Grace Hurt, will surely have the same fulfilling experience that Angelina and Bridget had. Spending the summer in Lyon at the Emlyon Business School promises not only academic growth but also personal and cultural enrichment, creating memories and lessons that will last a lifetime.