The trip of a lifetime: SOM goes to Korea

People are a lot more alike than they are different.

That was the main takeaway for School of Management Dean Shelley Dionne after the school’s recent 10-day trip to South Korea. Twelve students, alongside select faculty and staff, embarked on a life-changing journey.

The group visited Kyung Hee University (KHU) and teamed up with six of its students. They clicked instantly. Dionne was impressed by the behavior and maturity of all 18.

“If you asked, ‘Would you take twelve 18- to 19-year-olds halfway around the world?’ people would say no, but I would say yes every time,” she said. “I will bet on an SOM student every time. They were incredibly well-trained, incredibly respectful, and professional. People were shocked that some of them were first-year students.”

Third-year student Annie Wang, majoring in business administration with a concentration in management information systems and a minor in graphic design, described the trip as impactful.

“We learned so much,” Wang said. “It was really cool to learn about their culture and how they do business. It gave us a lot to think about, and we wouldn’t have had that global perspective without seeing it firsthand.”

Chou-Yu “Joey” Tsai, Osterhout associate professor of entrepreneurship, teamed up with Linda Reynolds, associate dean, to write the grant and design the program. The students listened to lectures, delivered presentations, and networked with over 70 Binghamton alumni at an event in Seoul.

The program theme was "Flourishing Entrepreneurship & Global Common Good." Mixed Binghamton and KHU teams developed social venture ideas around problems in Korea and pitched them in a final competition at KHU. SOM also visited PwC Korea.

“Watching our students and the KHU students become one team,” Tsai said, “and turn local knowledge into ideas with global impact was the best reward for me.”

But it wasn’t just business. The students, whom Reynolds described as “instant friends,” went hiking together, rock climbed, sang karaoke, and saw the sights of South Korea.

Despite it being monsoon season in Seoul, the stress of travel, and late nights and early mornings, both Dionne and Reynolds were amazed at the positive attitude and punctuality displayed by the students.

“We did not have a single problem,” Reynolds said. “It was nothing but curiosity and openness. There was a strong willingness to embrace the experience for what it was. They were 18 perfect students.”

Amanda Thurston, a sophomore majoring in business administration, appreciated the structure of the trip.

“It was so nice, because it was the perfect balance between education and fun,” she said. “We were able to learn about the culture in both formal and informal, unique settings as we built a bond with the other students.”

Provost Donald E. Hall sponsored the students on this trip and is optimistic about the future of international travel for SOM.

“This trip to Korea highlights the value of visiting another country and experiencing another culture,” said Hall. “I am proud of the way the SOM students conducted themselves, and I look forward to having the opportunity to sponsor them on future trips.”

Prior to this summer, international trips were only available to honors students in SOM, and were few and far between. After this success, Dionne and the greater SOM team are looking to emphasize these opportunities going forward.

It was an emotional goodbye. The bond between the SOM and KHU students was so intense that many students reflected on how hard it was to get on the bus to the airport at the end of the trip. The students weren’t the only ones who had a difficult time leaving.

“I have to admit, when I was on the bus, I was a little teary-eyed,” said Dionne. “I know the students were out there crying, and I was trying not to cry myself.”