Our Corporate Social Responsibility class on Tuesday was my favorite class so far. I got the opportunity to share my Wall Street Journal story about Starbucks’ search for a new CEO. Professor Gupta informed the class that it is extremely common for corporations to hire CEOs externally due to the fact that they will not have any bias towards the company; I found this very interesting as I have always thought that it was the norm for corporations to hire within their existing staff. We continued the discussion of my WSJ article with a conversation about abortion laws and I was fascinated to hear Professor explain that an unspoken fear of politicians is that the world order may be disrupted if certain groups are producing more children than others. I have never thought of abortion in these terms before. I also was intrigued by our conversation about corporations as legal entities. I was particularly surprised that corporations were given personhood under the 14th amendment which was enacted to protect the rights of African Americans. I am also still wondering how corporations can be considered legal people due to the fact that they do not have the same characteristics as a “natural” person. 

My week at work was very exciting as I was able to meet the four founders of the company and I even got my own desk! I was assigned the task to research TempoCasa’s three leading competitors and provide a PowerPoint analyzing their social media marketing strategies. I had a lot of fun looking at how different real estate agencies advertise their properties and I also enjoyed looking at the details of all of the beautiful properties in Italy. It was interesting to see the difference between Italian and American marketing; Italian real estate companies are much more focused on showcasing the relationships which are nurtured in the houses they have sold. I have definitely become much more acquainted with my commute and have become very good at hailing taxis. I am learning a lot about time management and also have learned how to complete a task when given very few instructions. I am happy to say that I believe the outcome of the project is above and beyond what was asked of me. 

This last weekend my friends and I took a trip to Nice, France. Although the train ride was very long and tiring, the trip was worth the wait. I have always dreamt of going to France and could not believe that my dreams were becoming a reality. Additionally, the weather was absolutely perfect. I was excited to try French cuisine and also to see the difference between Italian and French culture. I have always heard that French people were very rude to Americans, however, I felt that the people were nice yet spoke very little English. It was difficult to order at restaurants due to the fact that the servers rarely understood us. I also thought it was funny that the doorman of our hotel was extremely interested in American politics and was asking us about the political climates of our home states. The weekend was absolutely fabulous and allowed us to get some sun and relax before a week of work and classes. I am thrilled that I have been able to explore new places and experience cultures that are so different from my own.

Just like that, another week in the books for this wonderful Milan abroad experience. Week three has been the best yet and it seems like they will only get better from here on out. This past weekend, a handful of other students and myself planned a spontaneous trip to Rome for three days. I will start by saying Rome is one of my favorite cities I have ever visited. From the ancient ruins, unbelievable sights, and unforgettable experiences to the most delicious Italian food I have ever had, Rome swept me off my feet. My favorite experience was without a doubt the Sistine Chapel. We were not allowed to take pictures inside ☹, but the entire experience and lead up was a once in a lifetime experience. The sculptures, paintings, and architecture throughout the Vatican City had my jaw on the floor from entrance to exit. I could not recommend visiting Rome and embracing spontaneous trips!

Work at EdiBeez was busy this week. I found myself to be extremely productive and hardworking throughout this week. My coworker and fellow study abroad partner, Will, and I were in charge of company “write-ups” for three different companies that our manager assigned to us. These “write-ups” consist of navigating the EdiBeez database, along with the websites and databases of the selected companies and then create a written entry of what investments and activity each company is taking part in. Upon submission of our draft, our manager was thrilled with how well the “write-ups” came out. She is thrilled with the job that we are doing thus far and has no problem assigning us more enlightening work that we can manage! Will and I are truly learning a ton about finance and different real world business portfolios.

Class this week with Professor Gupta was interesting. I have been loving our discussions about corporate social responsibility and various different corporations. It is clear that Professor Gupta knows a ton of information about this given subject matter and is able to facilitate a multitude of conversations and discussions throughout each class. I am truly learning more about the world of business and solidifying my opinions on particular subject matter regarding corporations, social harm, and profitability. Professor Gupta also plays informative video clips and movies to assist each of us in understanding the subject matter and course material. Through week three, I have looked forward to going to every single class and enhancing my business knowledge!

As my third week studying in Milan comes to an end, I can confidently say that I am fully adapted to my schedule. I feel more comfortable with my directions around the city and  This week in Professor Gupta’s class we have been discussing more opinionated issues. The side of business ethics and decision making in corporations have been enjoyable to debate due to the variability in opinions that classmates have. We went into discussions about how corporations have the ability to make decisions that can benefit the future of society, yet usually chose to make choices based on profit. That does not mean that they are incapable of doing both, it is just more common in the corporate America that we live in. I found it most interesting to talk about the debate on child marketing and whether or not there should be restrictions placed. I was fascinated to hear all of the mixed opinions surrounding this topic and the various perspectives that individuals have. It really comes to show how different we all are, yet have come together to learn and enjoy this program.

This week at Circularity has been busy, as I was given a new section to my overall project. I was able to complete my “Personas” presentation quickly, and I was even commended for the quality of my work. My new task is surrounded by the idea of creating a competitor marketing analysis with Circularity and similar businesses in the US. I have been doing some research of my own to find businesses that are alike, but I have been struggling due ti the uniqueness of Circularity and their mission. The closest one is called Austin Materials Marketplace. The only difference is the scale in which they reach. Circularity is a platform that reaches all over the country of Italy and is formatted to meet the needs of the Italian waste laws. AMM is only centered in Austin, Texas and only completes business within the state. I am looking forward to this challenge and hope to come out successful.

As for my time assimilating to the Italian culture, I feel like I am doing a very good job. I know how to get around to certain places with confidence, and have even become a “regular” at a small local pizza parlor, where the owner recognizes us. The only thing I feel like I have been struggling with is during the weekends when I travel. I am the type of person that likes to take initiative and plan my day to hour, so it has been hard traveling with a group of 7 friends that have a “go with the flow” mindset. Sometimes I find myself very stressed out when traveling due to the lack of familiarity, so on Sunday’s  when we return to Milan, it feels like home. However, I am happy that my friends are teaching me how to be more relaxed. I think being an easily stressed out person is not great for me, so having friends that can help me see the other way is very beneficial and I am lucky to have them!

 

With my third week in Milan wrapping up, another class with Professor Gupta has passed and I’ve done a bit more within the city. Our second CSR class this week was canceled so we could have time to start working on our final projects. I started researching the ethical consequences of big pharmaceutical companies, which give access to life-saving drugs. In class, we mainly discussed accountability within corporations. Specifically, how management, the board of directors, and shareholders interact with each other when situations and scandals arise. A central point that arose within our readings and discussion was also where does the corporation lie in terms of social responsibility? As time has progressed, it really is the corporations that facilitate social change in nowadays. We finished the class with a group activity in which we had to present our answers to various ethical dilemmas, my group presented answers relating to GMOs and organic foods.

My internship this week also presented a bit more work than it has in the past. Compounding on last week’s research into Tempocasa, our supervisor tasked us to look outward at their competitors, and likewise analyze what works and does not work with their marketing strategies. We were finally given our own desks and set off to work for the week. The atmosphere within the office was very pleasant now that we had our own space to work. A lot of greetings, we met the 3 founders and the president of the company, and our one colleague who sits near us actually got married over the weekend so he was giving us a bunch of sweets. While finishing up our write-ups on each of Tempocasa’s biggest four competitors, our supervisor then asked us to create a presentation and asked if we could present next Monday, so that is what we have been working on for the rest of the week.

This week in Milan started with one of my friends randomly showing up in Milan unannounced and struggling to find him at the Duomo. I spent a lot of the day with him and we visited some of our more frequent restaurants and places. One specific highlight to mention that I will show below is the best pizza I think I will have throughout my trip which I ordered at a small, family-owned restaurant after class on Wednesday. I would not be surprised if that becomes a weekly dinner for me. Aside from that, when I was searching for dinner Thursday night, I stumbled upon what I thought was some sort of protest on the side of the canals. When I actually got involved though, I realized that it was just a marching band that was performing to draw attention to a company giving out their new beer product, hemp-infused beer. As the week comes to a close, I and I think many others are gearing up for our IES-led trip to Cinque Terre this weekend which should be a lot of fun.

Hemp-Infused Beer Product

Protest? Rally? Nope. Band giving out beer

GOAT pizza, spinach and ricotta

Fancy, fancy pasta dinner that lasted 45 seconds

Week 3 in Italy was by far the most eventful week for me so far. Over the weekend my friends and I travelled to Rome and stayed three nights. We got to see incredible sites such as the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and the Vatican! My favorite site was the Vatican by far. I have never seen such amazing detail and architecture, and the Sistine chapel was the most intriguing piece of art I have ever laid eyes on. Unfortunately, my friends and I had trouble getting train tickets back to Milan so we were forced to stay an extra night. This may have been a blessing in disguise, however, because we were able to take in more of the beauty and culture that Rome has to offer. The food in Rome was the best food I have ever eaten. Spaghetti carbonara, margarita pizza, and chocolate gelato were the highlights. On Monday we arrived back in Milan and prepared for a week of class, work, and more exploring.

In class this week we discussed business ethics and the choice corporations have to make when it comes to controversial decision making. The main takeaway I got from the topic was the fact that corporation must choose whether to prioritize profit, or making moral business decisions. This debate is very relevant in today’s world, as ESG initiatives are trending and practically necessary for businesses to incorporate. This is result of the rising awareness of certain issues such as climate change and gender equality which both affect the mindset of the consumer. In my Wall Street Journal assignment I wrote about Coca-Cola, and how they’ve implemented bottle caps that don’t fully detach from the bottle. This move was designed to reduce the plastic waste caused by loose bottle caps. Environmental activists claim this move by Coca-Cola will not actually have a lasting effect on the environment.

For my internship this week, Alex, Gunnar, and I presented a pitch of the product our company is launching to IES classes. We described the product, handed out fliers, and had each attendee complete a survey regarding their travel habits. Gunnar and I also continued our competitive analyses by creating an excel file comparing company financials and how each competitor acquired investors. Our boss, Filippo, left for Hong Kong last week so we have been meeting with him virtually. I don’t mind the shift to virtual work, as I am still able to get work done from my desk, and it’s more convenient for Gunnar, Alex, and I. I also get to experience how a hybrid work environment operates which is very prevalent among businesses today.

 

This was overall a very good week in Milan! Our course in corporate governance is progressing nicely, and in every single class, I am learning substantial amounts. This week we had some interesting discussions about the role that corporations play in the government, and if they should be able to have as much influence and control that they do. In addition to these discussions, we screened a fascinating documentary on corporations, and how they have evolved over time. My group also decided that for our final project we are going to be researching and preparing a final presentation on public corporations and their environmental disasters. Professor Gupta also continues to entertain the class and makes the class quite enjoyable.

There is not much new information to report on my work at EdiBeez. Pat and I continue to work together well, and we are learning a lot about big private equity firms worldwide. We also started working on the article that we have to write but are currently overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information that is out there. The experience has been good so far, and I am learning a lot about financial firms both globally and within Italy.

As for probably the highlight of the week my friends and I traveled to Rome for the long weekend. It was a week that was full of travel. Firstly, we went to Bologna along with the whole group where we had a big walking tour of the city followed by a cooking class. I really enjoyed both, the city is quaint and in the cooking class, we learned to make tortellini from homemade pasta. That afternoon we took a train to Rome, where we had booked an Airbnb for the weekend. This weekend was my first time on a high-speed train, and I really enjoyed it. We were able to see glimpses of the countryside as we traveled over 250 km/h to our destination. Upon arrival, we checked into the home and then decided to get food and explore the area. We were staying in an upbeat area called Travestere, right by the river Tiber. Those next two days were packed with adventure and sightseeing. Even though we were not there long at all we were able to see most of the major sights, including the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and a whole lot more. The food in Rome was also delicious, with my favorite being our dinner at La Carbonara. Getting home was an adventure because there was both a derailment outside Rome and a train worker strike, so we had to stay an extra day. The rest of the week has also been nice being back in Milan. It is design week, so we have been exploring what that has to offer. In addition to that, some of my friends and I walked up a lot of stairs to the top of the Duomo, which was easily one of the coolest views I have ever seen. Overall, it has been a really successful week, and it is insane that we are already halfway done.

 

Having two weeks of Milan under my belt, I feel like I finally have the jet lag and shock out of the way and I can focus more on my classes, work, and planning ahead. In our class, Corporate Social Responsibility, we have begun to dive into the structure of corporations and how they interact with their surrounding environments. The film we watched in class this week, The Corporation, highlighted many of the ethical shortcomings of large, well-known companies as they strive to maximize profits. The film raised great questions about the values of these big-time CEOs, the legality and ethicality of marketing to children, and the distinct privileges given to corporations under the title of “legal persons”. We had an insightful debate on what we think corporations should be responsible for before concluding the week with a highlight of many of our Wall Street Journal entries.

My internship this week has proven to be anything but typical and expected. For this week, Gina and I worked to help our company better understand the interworkings of the United States real-estate environment. Our company is trying to develop a strategy to combat the poor, dishonest perception of real-estate agencies in Italy by learning about and taking ideas from what works so well within the United States. Thus, Gina and I sat down with the Director of Marketing and head of graphic design for a bit and discussed differences that we have noticed since we have been here. After that, we did our own research into Tempocasa’s social media outlets to provide feedback on how we think customers react to their strategies. It has been particularly enjoyable because of the atmosphere within our workplace. Everyone is so talkative and friendly and they even gave us a tie and scarf to welcome us.

Our second week presented us with an ample amount of free time. Because of the national holiday on June 2, our company only worked the Monday and Tuesday, so after catching up on work my friends and I went on a day trip to Lake Como on Thursday which was beautiful. Luke and I hiked up to the top of the adjacent mountain to reach a lighthouse in which you could see miles and miles in each direction. The next day our Lehigh group took a trip to Bologna which, to be honest, I knew almost nothing about. The age of the city surprised me. Every building seemed to be built hundreds of years ago and looked almost as if it was going to fall apart. The stories of the bombings around the city were surreal and being able to see the contemporary impact was shocking. The highlight though was of course the cooking class where we were able to make tortelloni from scratch. I spent the last day of the week in Milan with my friends who visited from Barcelona. We had a great time visiting the Duomo, the Da Vinci museum, and exploring the design district.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View from lighthouse at Como

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lighthouse in the distance

 

 

 

Pano of a church at Bologna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me rolling some pasta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The group having lunch in Bologna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canals in Milan

This week we met Professor Castellani and discussed our progress on our assignment as well as the next steps to take. We previously had to merge together several files of data from different countries and their institutions. The next step is to categorize the files and do more sorting. I haven’t learned how to do any of this prior to my internship so the work is fairly difficult. However, Professor Castellani is very patient with Jackson and I. I would love to visit the University of Bergamo soon to see my “workplace” and make professional connections with others.

This week started out pretty rough due to my tonsillitis however it definitely ended up being a great week. Saturday night my friends and I went to a small, lively bar near our apartment. The bar, Ir Birrive, was very interesting because it only served beer and had many different varieties. My friends and I enjoyed some live music and conversed with the locals. This bar also happened to be owned by someone that Jay currently interns for at Circularity, so the owners were especially welcoming and kind to us. Unfortunately, I was feeling very sick with my tonsillitis for the next couple days so I wasn’t able to explore. On Wednesday, I made it to the Last Supper with my classmates but stayed in after going to class and getting gelato (solely because I had tonsillitis). After getting to rest for a day, my classmates and I took a day trip to Bologna. We did a walking tour of the city, the historic library and got to enjoy lunch together and a pasta making class.

Although I was sick for several days, I did make it to almost all of my classes. In Professor Guptas class we continued our discussion of social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders. I enjoyed listening to my peers opinions on current events and prominent CEOs like Elon Musk. As for our internship seminar with Professor Swain, we continued our discussion about cultural profiles and Hofstede’s findings. I find this topic interesting because cultural profiles and cultural awareness are especially important. We can use this information to modify our approach when interacting with others and new experiences. These soft skills help professionals adapt to the new normal and changes that occur everyday. Both classes are very discussion based which makes it easier to engage and relate. I am excited to learn more in both of my classes and improve.

Social and Cultural Immersion

Now that I am fully settled into Milan and can comfortably view my little studio “aparto” as home, traveling to surrounding European countries has been something I look forward to the most every weekend. Having never traveled to Europe before, I am beyond grateful to check Nice, France and Zurich, Switzerland off my bucket list. Each country, although so close in proximity, comes with an entirely separate culture and societal norms. Whether it be the minimal differences of having to ask for the check rather than the waiter offering it to you or the blatant differences of how people dress or act in public, also referred to as “la bella figura” in Milan. Although walking around in wet hair and sweatpants can be considered a crime in Milan, I quickly noticed there is a significant less emphasis on how you dress and present yourself in the surrounding countries I visited. Casual street and beach wear was the perfect break from dress pants and blazers that have become my new uniform for the work days. Surprisingly, the hours on the trains and public transportation have been some of my favorite parts of traveling. Coming from a suburban town I have never used public transportation or was too scared to try to figure it out. I have found it rewarding, and honestly exciting, to navigate these new systems independently and learn these simple skills that will carry forward for the rest of my life.

Academic Course in Social Corporate Responsibility

Although I have only had a few classes with Professor Gupta, I truly believe I have learned more than I have ever before in the past. Before this course I did not even think about the inner workings of a corporation or even start to think of a corporation’s impact on society. However, after Professor Gupta introduced us to the book  “Corporation”, I have been questioning certain companies governance and gaining so much curiosity about how each corporation might play a part in my everyday life. Coming from a naïve and trusting view of corporations, it was eye opening to hear Joel Bakan compare corporations to a psychopath in their endless pursuit of profit with no guilt or remorse for the public. In class we constantly question and discuss our opinions regarding how involved corporations should be in political movements such as diversity or labor rights. Although there is no black and white answer, simply thinking and discussing these topics have opened me to question topics, I did not previously know that they were even a problem. This knowledge has been empowering, in the sense as I learned that corporations are viewed as individuals, so it is possible for individuals, managers, and shareholders to voice their values and create reforms to positively effect our society.

Practicum in Milan with an Italian Company

Before I even arrived in Milan I felt nothing but welcomed and excited from all of my interactions with my employees. After my first zoom meeting with Veronica, my boss, I felt prepared and eager to not only perform the daily functions in the office, but to also learn more about the FinTech industry. I have already connected with an Israeli partner of Assofintech and am helping Veronica with an upcoming virtual event surrounding the importance of cybersecurity in our modern world. It was an honor to be trusted to send such important information and emails. Along with my tasks in the office, including sending emails and researching partners, I also have the opportunity to study the Fintech industry and expand my knowledge and pursue my specific interests. I am not only learning about Italian FinTech organizations, but also how important it is to connect all associations of Fintech globally. In my first day in the office the head of the company gave me a welcoming tour, even though there was a language barrier, he still managed to connect with me and form a relationship with me. Going into the office and interacting with my coworkers is something I look forward to each week.