Service project with children at a school
Global Leadership
Location of Program: China Year: 2014Program Director(s): D.J. Lee and Gregg Warnick
Participating Major(s): All Engineering Majors
Summary:
The purpose of this program is to understand the importance of globalization and leadership. Through this program students are given opportunities to acquire and practice techniques that will allow them to be confident when using their engineering and technology skills in a global environment. This year the participants worked closely with students at Sun-Yat Sen University in Guangzhou, China to complete leadership-based video projects. They also visited sites including the Danxiashan Mountains and Red Stone Park, Terraces of Longji, Dongguan, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and the Great Wall of China.
Recap of the Year:
Leadership Development
A core aspect of this program is the Foundations of Global Leadership course. Students made discoveries about their own personalities, and how this influences their interactions with people around the world. They practiced applying principles such as ethics, communication, and listening in an international setting. They learned that it is of great importance to apply the values they hold in a professional context. They discussed how employers are actively searching for employees who demonstrate leadership abilities.
Global Agility
Throughout the trip, the students demonstrated that they had developed a global mindset and were able to appreciate and embrace Chinese culture. They showed interest in both the thousand years of Chinese history and the contemporary development of modern China. Their interactions with the local Chinese people showed their borderless vision and their capacity to lead beyond international walls.
Technical Experience
Students had the opportunity to visit electronics and high-end composites operations in Southern China. These visits helped students better understand the opportunities and challenges of engineering and production within a Chinese context.
