IBS Summer Europe

IBS is such an amazing program! I attended their summer Europe seminar and it was such an awesome experience. You get the time you want to immerse yourself in the culture and enjoy the different cities while also studying the different business practices! I'd have to say my favorite part of the trip was that it was the perfect amount of time to be out of the country. Other programs offer a semester long experience but I did not want to miss everything that was happening on my own campus. IBS gave me the opportunity to travel without experiencing the FOMO (fear of missing out) that I had about traditional programs. The staff on the trip were very experienced and were able to help me with any problems that occurred on the trip and knew what to expect at every turn. I would recommend this program to everyone!

IBS offers a great opportunity to go abroad without spending the time and money required for a full semester. I had never left the country before my trip, and it was definitely helpful to be guided for that experience. Though we were not in any one place for very long, I got a taste of each of the six countries we visited, and I now plan on returning someday.

Another interesting aspect of this trip is that it was not a conventional study abroad trip. I was not in a classroom at any point while I was overseas. Instead, we visited various companies everywhere we went, and we learned about how businesses are run in each of the places we went. This offered us insight to foreign perspectives that we may very well come across in the professional world.

My experience was unique because I got to travel through six different European countries in three weeks time. Instead of sitting in a classroom in each of these countries, we got to visit and learn about these amazing international businesses. It was so cool to hear from actual companies about how the market in their home country and abroad. I also really enjoyed the number of places I got to visit. Once we got to each new city, we had an orientation, where our leaders taught us how to use public transport and find everything throughout the city center. This on boarding session made me feel a lot more comfortable in these foreign cities. IBS made it really easy to see so many different places and have so many fun experiences everywhere we went.

I could not have imagined going to Europe through any other program. They are very accommodating to all types of situations, whether you want to use this seminar as a credit or not, and even if you’re a nonbusiness major. This program really gives you the freedom to immerse yourself in the culture as much as you’d like, through all the free time you have to explore the cities. If I had to try and convince one of my friends to choose IBS over any other program, I would show them all the amazing pictures and sights I got to visit. Along with explaining we got to visit really interesting companies including Swarovski, World Trade Center, and even Cailler chocolate factory.

I chose to attend the Summer Europe trip with IBS versus another program because I wanted a program that would lead me to multiple European countries while also helping me with my future career. IBS stood out to me because it was led by experienced business professionals that would teach me while also giving me room to learn on my own. I liked that IBS was academically focused because it gave me an added perspective on each city compared to just visiting. From my experience abroad I learned to be confident in myself. I think this simple fact made the trip worthwhile. I was able to face new challenges and adventures everyday which gave me more confidence in my own abilities. I was able to use what I have learned in the past to help me in each new situation.

This trip is absolutely amazing! You get to visit 6 different countries in a good period of time. What's so great is you get to learn about different companies, and how they are so different to the U.S. Your learning experience is not in a classroom, what could be better than that! I loved being able to try so many different food, and being able to see all the beautiful places in every country. I would definitely take this trip all over again if I could!

IBS Summer Europe was an experience of a lifetime. I was able to grasp so many new concepts. I made many new friends that I still remain in contact with! Going abroad and experiencing companies instead of sitting in a lecture is a unique experience that many programs don't offer. I enjoyed going to companies that i had previously known before but didn't know entirely about. Talking to people who deal with international business on an everyday basis gives you more of an idea on what you could be doing in the near future. IBS is definitely a must program if you want to visit many places with endless opportunities.

This was my first time abroad, and I have to say I connected with these countries much more intimately than I thought I would, especially France. It was cool to feel like a local going to "work" in these cities for a few days and then taking off and going on an adventure, whether it be to the Eiffel Tower, the Alte Pinakotek, paragliding, or seeing the Rosetta Stone! It was amazing to have the chance to actually visit companies and organizations that I have heard about or read about in books like the WTO, BMW, and Lloyd's of London.