Na
me: Kelly Hawa
Major: BComm, majoring in finance
Career aspirations: JD/MBA then a career that leverages both law and business
Why were you interested in taking the Doing Business in Emerging Markets course?
The first thing that interested me about the course was the opportunity to travel to China and gain a better understanding of a place and culture that I wasn’t very familiar with. Beyond that, something that really excited me about the course was that we would be working directly with real companies throughout the term. Knowing that the assignments we’re working on have implications beyond the classroom, and could make a meaningful impact on a local business, has added a very challenging and motivating factor that is unique to this course.
What do you expect to learn from your visit to China?
While in China I hope to learn more about the complexities of both the culture and the business environment in the country. Throughout the course we have studied the country in-depth from both an economic and cultural perspective. I hope the first-hand experience gained through the visit will give me a deeper understanding of the concepts discussed in the course, and of the rich cultural makeup of the country.
How do you think this experience will impact your future career?
I think it will have both an immediate and long-term impact. As I begin my career, participating in this course will give me a unique experience and knowledge-base to draw on in applications and interviews. In the long term, I think this course with have broadened my mindset towards opportunities and careers in international business that I might not have considered before.