Our second week in Milan began with a great dinner with Professor Gupta, and all of the 25 Lehigh students. We all managed to squeeze into a small room, and enjoyed an all you can eat sushi meal. This week, we also had our first IES cultural immersion class where we learned about some of the cultural differences between Milan and the United States. Something interesting we learned was that, in Italy, it is important to ask questions in the workplace to show that you care about learning and show your interest. On Tuesday, we enjoyed a visit to The Last Supper painting. The week ended with a class trip to Verona! It was a national holiday in Italy so we didn’t have work. We enjoyed a wine tasting, and a great tour of the arena. I loved our tour guide who inspired us to sing a song together at the top of the stairs. Finally, on Saturday, we took a day trip to Lugano, Switzerland. As I write this on the train ride back from the trip, I reflect on the great lunch we had, a nice boat trip led by our captains Jon and Sara, and finally a lovely dinner where I ate Gnocchi.
In our two classes with Professor Gupta, we shifted the conversation away from shareholders vs stakeholders towards corporate governance. We talked about widely held corporations, and how that gives managers much more power. The large number of shareholders and liquid market are both factors in why the managers essentially can run the company at their own will. I really enjoyed the debates we had in class, and I liked how it helped me think about how I would formulate arguments and think on my feet quickly. I also enjoyed the discussion about the red dye present in US skittles, and hearing others thoughts about who should restrict these harmful chemicals. Is it the job of the state governments, or the FDA?
Lastly, to discuss my internship, I have been working on researching the green hydrogen market. Simplifhy has other companies who are asking for their help to enter this market, so it is my job to research and find an industry that could be a great segway to allow these companies to start creating new products, and marketing them to the public. I have enjoyed learning about the science behind electrolysis, and the different types of methods that water can be separated into hydrogen and oxygen. On Thursday, my coworkers and I enjoyed a picnic outside in Villasanta. Here we ate pizza and walked around the park. We even saw a villa where a popular Italian baking show is filmed.
