Business students learn from China trip

     China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, yet one of the most technologically advanced. It has one of the richest cultural heritages, yet the Chinese live with few amenities. Its people are among the world’s most genteel and well-mannered, yet they can be extremely aggressive. These and other contradictions puzzled and delighted Campbell University graduate students on their recent study abroad.
     Christina Locust, who is working on a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and JD/MBA (Juris Doctor) students John Milholland and Amanda Martin, left the Raleigh/Durham Airport on May 6 for Beijing, China, for a two-week study abroad. They were accompanied by Dr. Shahriar Mostashari, associate dean for the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business and director of the MBA program, and Christina Locust’s father, Lewis Locust.
      “A study abroad is both business and pleasure,” said Mostashari. “Students have an opportunity to study and learn about the people, the culture of a country and its system of higher education, as well as the country’s economy, industry and trade relations with the U.S.
     During their two-week stay in China, the group traveled by plane, train and bus, visiting places of historical significance and attractions such as state owned jade, silk and pearl factories. They also toured several privately managed manufacturing plants, numerous museums, parks and bazaars and tasted practically every Chinese dish.
 For Locust, who has traveled abroad more than once, the complexities of China were unlike any other country she has visited.
    “The Chinese culture is something to love, wonder about, appreciate and be uncomfortable with all at the same time,” she said. “I love the fact that the culture is steeped in tradition, that the people are very dedicated and determined to reach a balance of over all well-being and cohesiveness, but I am also amazed that a country that has grown so quickly economically and technically seldom stocks toilet paper in its restrooms or supplies many of the amenities that we take for granted.”
     During their stay in Beijing, the group toured the Great Wall and Underground Palace, the Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. They also attended a Chinese Opera and had dinner at Quanjude, a restaurant famous for its roast duck. On May 11, the group took an overnight train to Shanghai then visited East China University of Science and Technology for lecture and discussion. The students found that the academic schedules of their Chinese counterparts were similar to their own.
     “Their system really isn’t much different from ours,” Locust said. “They spend a lot of time in the classroom and have outside learning experiences like we do. They also have a lot of lab time, and the expectations of their professors are just as high.”
     On May 15, the group toured the Huangpu River at Pudong and took an afternoon bus to Hangzhou, where they visited the Lingying Temple and a tea plantation. They also toured the Shaoyuifu Hospital and conferenced with hospital administrators and physicians.
     “I was really impressed at how our worlds are melding, at how eager they are to learn,” said Locust. “Visiting another country really opens up communication and understanding. We’re becoming more and more dependent on other countries to conduct business. It is becoming more and more important to convey the impression that we are open to the needs of another country and vice versa,” she said.
     As part of their course credit, the students must maintain a daily journal then write and present a research paper upon their return.


Photo Copy: Campbell University graduate students visit China on a recent study abroad. From left, MBA student Christina Locust, Dr. Shahriar Mostashari, associate dean of the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business, and JD/MBA students Amanda Martin and John Milholland.

Bulletin 0008-6/01/05