Life changing experience

Pictured (above): CIS students in front of a cathedral in Florence, Italy.

by Becky Andress and Carey Cole

This summer 15 students majoring or minoring in Computer Information Systems (CIS) traveled to Germany, Poland and Italy with faculty director Carey Cole. They took International Consulting and Database Design courses, with the classes primarily held in the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt, Germany.

The group was able to immerse themselves in daily European life while learning about international consulting through visits to Deloitte in Berlin, Germany and KPMG in Florence, Italy. Students were then able to compare the differences in business practices from the United States to those in Europe. It allowed them to reflect on their future careers as consultants while being able to experience a small piece of the profession. Students also had the chance to participate in a case study competition for Deloitte, which included a final presentation to several Deloitte employees in Arlington, ranging from staff up to partner. While visiting the Deloitte Greenhouses, students experimented with augmented reality, virtual reality, 3D printing, robots and more.

Beyond the classroom, students were able to dive into many cultures and life-styles through visits to famous sites and tours of the cities, and got to see the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Cinque Terre and much more.

The students quickly concluded that they might never have an experience like this again. Being with a close group of people in a foreign country gave everyone a chance to learn more about new cultures, friends and course material, but most importantly, themselves.