The final week of Professor Gupta’s Corporate Responsibility class consisted of our presentations. There were ten groups with differing controversial topics and about 20-minute presentations per group. My group’s topic was social media misinformation and who/how much it should be censored regarding free speech and advertisement rights. I have thought about this topic briefly, but I have never done research or gone in-depth about it. It was shocking to hear about how much misinformation goes on, especially on social media, and debate about who should have the final say on what you should and should not be allowed to post online. I worked with Miss Masillo and Miss Mielke and we divided the work up a little over a week ago, got it done early, and worked together well.

In our internship seminar this week, we gave our final presentations. My group researched why the Made In Italy label is so important and the process of being able to qualify for this label. I worked with Abi, Allie, Livi, and Cara and enjoyed the project a lot. We split it up into four questions regarding the label like food, fashion, and the manufacturing process. Our presentation went well- it was the time limit and Professor Swain asked an interesting question about the actual laws behind the label, which we did not research about, but it was great to learn. Overall, the seminar was really helpful during my time in Milan and helped me adjust to the culture and work environment much easier.

The final week of my internship consisted of wrapping up my work and presenting a final project. Throughout the internship, I have given two presentations to my boss on devices sold by BTS Bioengineering. For my final project, I was instructed to create a combined presentation of both of the devices with all of the suggestions she gave me throughout the summer and I presented it in front of our marketing team. I was much more stressed because the team was traveling from Florence just to hear me present and I did not want to make neither my boss nor myself look bad. With a week full of presentations, I felt under a lot of stress, but I am glad that they are over with. The presentation went well and I really enjoyed working here over the summer!

For our final weekend, we decided to stay in Milan to explore what we had not seen yet. I felt like since we traveled every weekend, we never had time to thoroughly enjoy Milan itself. We went to thrift markets and spent a lot of time on the canal. The canal is by far my favorite part of Milan due to the nightlife and beautiful scenery. On Saturday there are thrift markets lined up and down the water for miles. It was also nice to not have to travel this weekend because we were all getting a little bit worn out from hours of traveling every weekend. Last weekend was definitely one of my favorites!

The canal on the Fourth of July!

Allie, Cara, and I enjoying a sunset picnic!

Found a cute dog at the markets.

Record market on the canals.

This week, Professor Gupta’s class discussed the Apple case study and their corporate social responsibility. There was a discussion about whether the BBC published this case just because Apple is a large corporation and targeted them for the press and ignored other smaller corporations who do the same thing, which I found interesting. I also got to share my Wall Street Journal about food delivery services and recent New York and California laws. These laws affect the employees of companies like UberEats, Postmates, and DoorDash because the corporations cannot afford to pay their employees without up
charging customers, which only drives them away. It is a dilemma and I loved hearing other people’s opinions on my article and explaining my interpretation and opinions on it to the class.

In one of the final weeks of the seminar, we discussed the networking event and talked about our takeaways from this seminar. I talked about my personal connections and that they are very valuable in the workplace. Next, Professor Gupta took over and we discussed our resumes, and how to improve them then we got about an hour to add our internships and perfect our resumes. I had an issue narrowing mine down to one page and figuring out the correct format. Most of the business students had their resumes perfected beforehand, so I felt a little bit behind since I only used my resume a few times. I am glad I got it sorted out and am eager to hear Professor Gupta’s feedback.

This week in my internship, I worked remotely on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday because my boss was traveling for work. I enjoy working remotely because it makes my schedule more flexible and I do not have to make my commute. I have talked about my commute previously and it makes it hard to be motivated for work because it is so far. I try to work remotely when I can because I feel like I am more productive, less tired, and more motivated. I am in the process of making a final presentation for both my boss and her boss, so I feel a lot of stress right now, but my boss is helping me and giving me tips on how to present my best work.

Last weekend a group of us traveled to Florence and it was amazing! The train was less than two hours, which is much shorter than any of the other trips we have done. What I noticed the most throughout the weekend was how small Florence is. We passed the same buildings and streets multiple times on our three-day trip, and I felt like at the end of the weekend, we had seen everything. The food was some of the best I have had since being in Europe, but the city is much too small for me. It was 95 degrees on Saturday, which was almost unbearable, but we got to see the Tour De France! This was the highlight of my weekend because my dad watched the Tour De France every year. He was very jealous of me and I sent him a lot of videos!

Tour de France!

School of Leather in Florence.

Postcard shopping on our last day in Florence.

Best pasta ever!

In Professor Gupta’s class this week we spent a lot of time on the Wall Street Journals, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We discussed affirmative action and “weight loss drugs” for almost two hours. It was interesting to hear everyone’s opinions on these hot topics and relate them to CSR in discussion. My Wall Street Journal article was very similar to the one discussed about Zep Bound. Before this class I never really thought about the corporation’s thought process behind drugs, I just believed that the abuse fell on the consumers and diet culture. After the discussion and the article I read, I am sure the corporation is largely at fault due to the lack of concern they have for their customers and the need for profit maximization no matter at what cost. After these discussions, we watched a video on stakeholder and shareholder maximization that related to our previous readings, so it was great to connect the two.

As the IES networking event is approaching, we do not have Professor Swain’s class this week. Last week we discussed potential conversation starters for this event and questions to ask our bosses. My boss will not be able to attend, so I am prepared to introduce myself to a lot of employers and ask a lot of questions since I do not have someone assigned to me directly. I think it will be incredibly beneficial to meet everyone’s bosses and see how their work differs from mine. This past month I have been hearing a lot about people’s coworkers, so it will be interesting to meet them as well.

This week my internship differed from the norm. My boss is in Hong Kong for a marketing event, so I was pretty much figuring it out myself this week. Since I have been working for about a month and am accustomed to the office and what my assignments are this week, it was pretty easy to figure out. I have grown closer to my coworkers so I am not afraid to ask them questions or talk to them on breaks. I have been keeping in touch with my boss through WhatsApp, asking about her travels and planning the week accordingly. I have a presentation on Thursday that I will show her remotely.

Last weekend a group of us traveled to Barcelona! It was an awesome experience and somewhere I have always wanted to visit. I took my first European plane, which was very different from America. We received the gate to our flight about 20 minutes before boarding, which was stressful because in America I usually know my gate before I even get to the airport. Once we landed, we grabbed a taxi to the Airbnb and went straight to bed considering it was about 2 am. We went on a boat ride around the coast, which was amazing until some of us got a little bit seasick! That night we went to a bar called Dow Jones, which is known as the “stock market bar”. Prices rise and fall according to how popular the drink is that night, and every half hour or so, the prices crash and the drinks are at their cheapest! It was so much fun and I would definitely go back!

Me and Allie in front of the Sagrada Familia!

Cool thrift store in Barcelona.

We found a good smoothie place on the way back from the boat. Very refreshing!

The Dow Jones Bar drink stocks!

In class this week we watched the second part of the Corporation film. It covered more of the patenting and natural resources topics, which was interesting to learn about. As a behavioral neuroscience major, I am in labs a lot and never thought about the fact that some of the bacteria, strands of DNA, or naturally obtained resources we use could be limited or patented. It just never went through my mind because the availability of all of these materials is what drives innovation and without this there could be no advances in science. I also did not realize that different countries had different laws regarding that, so it was informative to research what the US laws were vs Europe and how they intersect and relate to one another.

In the internship seminar this week we did a self-assessment and discussed biases in both America and Italy. It was funny to talk about our encounters with American biases here because there have been some things said that make me laugh due to the Italian’s perception of Americans. There were many comments about our medical system and medicines saying they are stronger and that we go to the pharmacy or doctor for any minor inconvenience. What I have encountered most has been within the food industry because Americans love to put meat on their pasta, like penne with grilled chicken or shrimp, and the way the waiter looks at you when you ask for that is daunting. They think it is crazy to add meat to your pasta and that is too much food, feeding the perception of Americans being overweight.

In the past few weeks, I have gained more trust and responsibilities at work. They have assigned me more projects that are similar to my past ones, just with different devices. Last week I worked on a competitor list with my boss for one of our products, and this week I am doing it alone and have a PowerPoint presentation giving advice and suggestions on the product. I can tell they value my opinion and respect my work, which I enjoy. In the internship seminar, we discussed communication, which I picked up on at work this week. It is such a relaxed environment that no one communicates directly, there are just cues as to when coffee or lunch is. Everyone stands up and it is like you are just supposed to know what is going on.

Last weekend a group of us went to Nice, France. It was so amazing! We stayed near the water and could walk to restaurants along it very easily. It is very different from Milan as we stayed in the part of South France that was not city-like. The food was so good- I had fish for 4 meals in a row. It tasted super fresh because we were by the water, but it was very expensive. I asked my coworkers about Nice and the first thing they said was about the expenses. The train ride home was very nerve-wracking due to the strikes. We were scared we would not have a train to get on because some of ours got canceled, but thankfully we got on a train with only a few long stops on the way. 

Castel Plage- the beach we swam and relaxed at for the day.

The views right when you walk out of our AirBnb!

The fish of the evening at a restaurant on the water.

Swimming in the ocean… before we saw the “no swimming” sign.

This week in our Corporate Social Responsibility class, we read Joel Bakan’s “The Corporation” and watched a film that goes along with it. We will continue discussing it next week, but I was really intrigued by the film. Before this course, I honestly never thought about anything regarding corporations, companies, shareholders, etc. Still, this film made me think about a lot of companies I buy from and think about their motives. I buy a lot of healthy and ethically sourced alternatives, and it made me wonder if this corporation is doing this for the customer’s benefit or to increase their profits. Overall, I was thinking about the motives of corporations and the film made it clear a lot of the corporations we believe are doing things out of the goodness of their hearts are hurting someone else along the way, like their laborers, or just doing it for profits and themselves.

In the internship seminar this week we discussed both Italian and American culture. Professor Swain explained things only Italians would understand or are common here and not in America, and then we had to explain American things to her. It actually made me laugh when discussing American culture because she showed a photo of a family decked out in Michigan gear just to show their pride for a college, while in Italy, college is free and there is no status associated with it. In America, we care so much about where we go to school, the acceptance rate, what type of institution it is, and how much it costs, while in Italy it is an equal playing field. The other photo she showed of America is people hysterically crying while watching the election polls. It is one side or another and Professor Swain related our election to a football game; one team wins and one loses, while in Italy there are over 15 candidates.

In my internship this week I went in every day and did remote work on Tuesday. I find myself needing one day to go remote because of my commute. I have to travel over an hour each way to get to work, and while I love being with my coworkers and working in person, it is draining. The days I went in were normal; coffee at 11 and lunch at 1. Although my coworkers are great and try to include me in conversations, sometimes I find it difficult to take part in the conversations at the break because they are speaking in only Italian. Sometimes my boss translates some things and my other coworkers talk to me in English on the side, which is nice. I have started to pick up a few words they continue to use and understand a little bit more of what they are saying every day!

Last weekend we traveled to Lake Como and the mountains nearby. This was a very interesting trip as I did not know exactly what I was getting myself into until we arrived. The first part of Saturday was pretty chill- we walked around the town by the lake, did some shopping, and got lunch. Once we began to go to the cabin it got a little bit crazy. We got off the bus and they told us we were supposed to go in jeeps to the cabin. It was a half-hour ride, no seatbelts, our bags were on the roof of the car, and 9 of us were squished into one car. Looking back on it, it was really fun, but at the moment it was pretty scary and we were all exhausted from the day. The next day was a beautiful hike. We saw a cheese factory and a church, had some lunch, and made our way back in the jeeps. It was an awesome time with beautiful views!

Our sleeping arrangements for the night in the cabin!

Livi trying to watch the sunset… was not successful.

Abi and Katie doing tricks in the mountains.

Found a rock on the hike.

This week, we had a few readings and many in-class discussions and debates. Yesterday, my group was assigned to read an article that debated a bank’s negligence in leaving an old widow susceptible to fraud. I found this article interesting and loved hearing Professor Gupta talk about it. It was interesting to think about at what point the bank is responsible for their customers’ actions. During these debates, it is interesting to hear both arguments because usually there is a side that more people tend to agree with, but are forced to argue against. Although the class is on Zoom, it is still engaging and almost feels like we are all in person. The videos we watched this week about Adam Smith were also enlightening. I remember learning about Smith in middle school (not in this much detail), so it is funny to see what I remember!

This week in the internship seminar we read a story about a climber who made an unethical decision. We had a debate regarding this matter and it was clear that the group arguing that it was ethical to leave the man did not agree with what they were arguing. This was interesting to watch because it made people think differently and question what ethics are. This is related to our internship because people in America and Italy define ethics and trust differently. It also relates to the story we read for homework about cognitive and affective trust. People from different places lean more towards cognitive vs affective trust and it is very evident at work. After defining these terms, it made me think a lot about corporate America and how cutthroat everyone is. Like the hiker, people have their goals in mind and will go through anything or anyone to achieve them.

My internship this week was remote for 3 of the 5 days we worked, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I work better from home and can start earlier as well. I have a long commute every morning and afternoon (about an hour and 15 minutes), so once I get to work I am a little bit tired from being on the train, tram and metro, and need about a half hour to get settled in. Working from home eliminates all of that and I am happy that my boss pushes for some days in office and some days out of the office because I feel as though I am getting my work done more efficiently. This was the first week I declined a coffee and I used my tools from the internship seminar to do this. I told them that I would prefer a water, but I would come have breakfast and accompany them while they drank it. They did not seem at all offended, which was great for both of us. I enjoy getting to know my coworkers during these breaks and love how open they are about their personal life.

This week, a few friends and I went to the Lana Del Rey concert at a horse stadium near the IES center. These were last-minute plans, but we definitely made the most out of it. When we arrived, it felt like a music festival in which there were merchandise stands, food, drinks, and more; much different than an American concert which is crowded and little to eat. The biggest difference for me was that it was very obviously more laid back. Lana was scheduled to come on at 5 pm, but she did not step onto the stage until 9:30 pm! This shows the relaxed and laid back atmosphere Italy has, as in America it is always a rush and people are right on time. All of the fans made the most of the seemingly scheduled delay, took photos, ate food, and enjoyed themselves on that beautiful evening.

Delicious sushi after class!

A bunch of dogs outside Aparto.

The horse park at the concert. It looks like a music festival!

Me, Allie, and Abi right before Lana Del Rey came out!

In this week’s Wall Street Journal article, I have covered a topic I was intrigued about even before finding it online. One of the first things I noticed when arriving in Milan was the water bottle caps. These caps are attached to the actual water bottle instead of being completely screwed off to help the environment and limit plastic waste. My article covered Coca-Cola’s new mandate from the EU that stated they must have caps attached to the water bottle, causing much negative press and a predicted downward spiral in sales. This assignment was the most interesting to me in the past week due to the relationship between life in Milan and my article. I am excited to stay updated with the Wall Street Journal and search for more connections while learning about current events at home and in Milan.

The internship seminar has been beneficial regarding my academic and cultural behavior in the workplace. This week we covered an essential part of Italian life and the workplace: coffee. Coffee is much more important with specific rules in Milan than in America. Sitting down with your coworkers and enjoying a coffee around 11 here is normal. In America, we all carry our Starbucks to work and drink it on the way, or while working. This is extremely different and perhaps the biggest culture shock to me. I used what we learned in the internship seminar to my advantage when asked for a coffee that I did not want, I replied “No thank you, but I will come to grab a water with you”, so I could gain a relationship with my coworkers, while also being careful not to offend her. 

After completing a full week of my internship, I have grown both academically and culturally. I have become accustomed to the coffee breaks at exactly 11 am, and grown closer to my coworkers. I find myself more excited to come to work than nervous about it. My favorite part of my internship is that there is no social or work hierarchy between the employees and the interns. I am treated like all of the other employees, who are also treated like one another without a clear boss or CEO in charge. I learned how to give constructive criticism to people “higher up” than me without being nervous or offensively critiquing their product, and I am looking forward to working tomorrow to review it with my boss, Marta.

This week the group traveled to the Swiss Alps, but unfortunately, I could not make it. To substitute for this loss of cultural immersion and travel, a few others and I traveled to the Genoa beaches on Sunday and spent the day there. It was such a great time! We tried the pesto, which is actually where it originated, laid out at the beach, and walked around the quaint town. What was different from America was the many, many fruit shops on the side of each road. The fruit looked very fresh and we communicated with them in Italian after our bootcamp from earlier this week! Next week I am looking forward to the overnight camping trip so I can finally explore the European wilderness while also being with my friends.

Livi admiring the amazing fruits.

Walking around the beaches admiring the views.

Our walk from the train station onto the beach. Very scenic!

We found out that it is normal for dogs to be in stores in Milan. Here is a cute dog in a jewelry store!

This past week, we had our first Wall Street Journal assignment for our Corporate Social Responsibility course. This assignment took longer than I expected due to the in-depth analysis I gave my article. I began reading the Wall Street Journal recently in preparation for this course, but I have not analyzed the readings as deeply as I did this one. It was both difficult and interesting to read and talk about AI, which my article was about. I related it to daily life and how it affects both jobs and the environment, which I did not know had an effect until a few days ago. The most interesting part of this assignment was getting to read other people’s articles and reacting to them to form a conversation and the ability to ask questions. 

 

This week the internship seminar focused on very basic parts of our internship like coffee breaks, how to speak to our coworkers, and learning how to be flexible. Throughout my first week, I picked up on things that are not as prevalent in America as they are here like a more easy-going, but last-minute schedule, the importance of communication, and coffee breaks, of course. In the seminar, I learned how to say no to coffee in a nice way, while also being open to taking a break and accompanying my co-workers. I have been trying to wean off of coffee after finals week, so having to reject coffee has been very difficult for me! In this class, we discussed our first week together and it seemed like we all had similar experiences and culture shocks. Another thing that was emphasized was the communication. It is very normal for our bosses to tell us at the last minute to come in or not, and for us to say we would rather go remote that day instead of in person, but if you do not communicate there is an issue. My boss specifically told me that I could do whatever I wanted, I just had to let her know in advance, which Dr. Swain emphasized. This course has enriched my understanding of how to communicate and act in the workplace.

 

My actual internship enriches me both culturally and academically. In the office, I communicate with coworkers who speak primarily Italian, so I learn their greetings, watch their interactions, and pick up on patterns they do like coffee breaks at 11 am sharp and lunch at 1 pm. On the academic side, I am learning how to speak to clients, operate their devices, and analyze results. My internship is focused on bioengineering, so I have spent the past few days testing out their devices and giving input on improvements that could be made to enhance their technologies. The company itself creates devices that analyze both the motor and cognitive movements of people, print reports, and send them to doctors or therapists who take the next step depending on what the results are. I work both independently and with my boss, Marta, who walks me through how to analyze results from the devices and explains to whom their target market includes. I have already gained a lot of knowledge from this internship and I am excited to continue working this summer! 

 

Last weekend the group visited Lake Maggiore, which was beautiful. The hour-and-a-half bus ride was a little bit long, but once we arrived, there were no complaints from anyone. The boat rides from island to island were my favorite part because you could see the islands from a different perspective. We stopped for lunch on one of the islands and ate at a fish restaurant, which was amazing considering how close we were to the water. Something I noticed here was that the waiters and people on the island are very friendly to the animals. At lunch a giant duck was walking around between the tables and the restaurant staff had a name for it! Every experience at a restaurant is helpful as well because we get to practice our Italian, even though it is just basic greetings and manners.

 

Me and Evelyn on Lake Maggiore.

Mahan walking through an exhibit on the island at Lake Maggiore.

A peacock outside of the castle at Lake Maggiore.

My walk to work on Monday!

I expect to gain enrichment through both the academics and the communication aspects of this course. There is the academic aspect which includes reading the Wall Street Journals and learning about current issues that will be very interesting because I feel like I do not pay as much attention as I would like to regarding these topics. This course will encourage me to pay more attention to current news both inside and outside of class. Another aspect of this class is communicating professionally with my peers which I am hoping to improve on. I am not in many courses that require a lot of classroom participation and debating, so this will be very enriching and new for me.

 

Through the Internship Seminar, I am hoping to gain more knowledge in preparation for interviews and building my resume both strongly and professionally. Regarding my resume, I am eager to learn more about what activities and learning opportunities look best considering my major and how to improve how I describe them on my resume. I want to be able to pick out the most important parts of my internship from this summer and have a description that looks the most appealing to the jobs and future employers I interact with. Another important aspect of this seminar is the opportunity to learn more about how to prepare well for an interview and put my best foot forward.

 

The actual internship is what I am most excited about in the Lehigh in Milan program. I feel like it is a combination of cultural immersion and academic enrichment, making it even more educational. Having an actual internship is very important because it will give me experience with a subject I am interested in pursuing in the future, which is different from just learning about it in a classroom setting. Also, working under a professional who is easily accessible to ask questions to is very beneficial. I am expecting to gain a lot of knowledge from this internship and possibly gain connections to use in the future for multiple purposes.

 

Through personal and group travels, I have high expectations for cultural immersion. On a day-to-day basis, I will be able to interact with the locals through engaging in conversations and gaining insight into their lifestyle. I will be open to learning new things and asking questions wherever I am, whether it be at my internship or in a coffee shop. I am interested in learning about their language and how they communicate. It would be great to leave Milan knowing basic Italian phrases and sentences! Lastly, their food culture seems very interesting and different from America’s and I am eager to try new things and even make some food and learn recipes for authentic Italian dishes while I am there.