The DeVry Study Abroad Program - A Journey of Discovery

Written by Melinda Schmidt and Mary Jo Bullock

The DeVry Study Abroad Program was a most incredible learning experience that those of us fortunate enough to be chosen for the pilot program will remember the rest of our lives. Our journey started with a very long day of travelling but once we arrived in Paris we were introduced to this city's beautiful architecture and long history by means of a leisurely boat trip with the famous Bateaux Mouches on the River Seine. This was just the beginning of a journey that took us to some of the most important sites in the history of humanity. In the art district of Montmartre, we saw the Bateau-Lavoir, the artists' haven where Picasso and Georges Braque gave birth to Cubism and Romanticism was expressed in the Impressionist art of Matisse and Gauguin. Walking the streets of this ancient neighborhood we passed the famous Moulin Rouge that so dominated the life and works of Toulouse Lautrec and the cafes and bistros where great intellects like Max Jacob, Jean Cocteau and Gertrude Stein formed, discussed and wrote the works that would shape the thinking of the modern age. In the Louvre, we saw first-hand, the great works of these artists and others. It was fascinating to see the various philosophical periods expressed with brush stroke and paint, from the Realism period to the symbolism and allegories of the Enlightenment period and the subtle and not so subtle meanings in paintings such as the Coronation of Napoleon, that so enraged many of the time because of Napoleon's arrogance in crowning himself without the blessings of church or state.

Our journey also took us to the Chateau de Versailles, where we walked in the footsteps of kings. As one walks through this monument to the excesses of wealth and power it is easy to understand how it must have stood in stark contrast to the poverty of the Parisian peasants who could not afford the bread that was the mainstay of their diet and inspired the French Revolution. One can't help but note the irony of this place also being chosen for the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the peace treaty of WW l that robbed Germany of all its means of economic recovery and imposed such oppressive financial demands that the entire country was plunged into a state of poverty.

It was this poverty that created such bitterness and resentment that the German people were willing to embrace fascism and Hitler's promises of wealth and security. As the woman, Ruth Muller tells Winston Churchill in the novel by Dobbs, Hitler gave them someone to blame and put food on their tables so that no one starved any more (Dobbs, 2007). This desperate faith in Hitler made them willing to turn a blind eye to the police raids that dragged neighbors away in the night and slow to recognize what was really happening. It made them reluctant to acknowledge the terrible atrocities taking place in the concentration camps like the one we visited in Natzweiler, France.

Struthof, built on the site of a ski resort in the beautiful Vosges Mountains, is the only concentration camp built on French territory. What struck many of us was that the beauty of this place, high up in the mountains with such breathtaking views, was also the site of such ugliness from the horrific atrocities that were committed here. This was a camp where they did experimentations on the prisoners and interestingly enough only 1% of them were Jewish at this particular camp. As we walked through the camp it was haunting to see the evidence of what occurred here in the barbed wire, hanging noose, cremation chambers and torture rooms where they did medical experiments on people forced to be human guinea pigs. However, one can also feel a faint sense of courage and strength of human spirit here in the evidence of those that endured and survived this terrible place. We couldn't help but feel that the prisoners must have had to make a conscious choice to find peace in their daily lives in order to survive this ordeal and for many of them it may have been through their faith in God. In looking at these events one can relate to the theories of existentialism, humanism and theology. Although some could question God’s existence in this tragedy and go with Friedrich Nietsche’s theory of “God is dead”, theistic existentialist, Soren Kierkegaard, gives hope even in the face of death, stating, “Because of its tremendous solemnity death is the light in which great passions, both good and bad, become transparent, no longer limited by outward appearances.” For with death we are reunited with the God who gives us peace (Kierkegaard, n.d.).

Everywhere we went throughout France and Germany we saw evidence of this abiding love and faith in God. Cathedrals are everywhere and each one is magnificent and beautiful in its own unique way. However, this love is expressed in many ways, from the most magnificent art and architecture to the humblest pieces of pottery and household décor. At the Musée Alsacien in Strasbourg we noticed that they would print text on their houses referring to the blessings of God in their lives and that they often kept Bibles next to their beds.

In the city of Strasbourg, France in the Alsace region of the Rhine river valley we had the good fortune to stay in the Chateau de Pourtales, a magnificent 18th century mansion owned by CEPA, our travel coordinators, whose grounds are now a lovely forested city park. Here we found a wonderful sense of peace and calm that was very restorative. This chateau once counted as its guests the finest of European society, including Franz Liszt, Albert Schweitzer and Napoleon and Empress Eugenie. It is mind blowing to realize that you are sitting and drinking wine on a balcony where Napoleon himself once sat. In this city we also toured a very nice social housing complex for low income families that was an early example of company provided employee housing inspired by the socialist concept of cooperation over capitalist competition of post-Napoleonic era Marxism (Perry, Chase, R.Jacob, Jacob, & Laue, 2009).

Throughout our journey we discovered a love of beauty, of art and of craftsmanship. These things were not reserved only for the palaces of the wealthy or the cathedrals of the holy; they were present even in the humblest of daily lives. One gets the sense that these people lived their lives with pride, dedication and determination. For most of us this journey was not just one of discovering new cultures but also of discovering much about ourselves. We learned how to open ourselves up to new ways of seeing the world and new ways of doing things. We also learned great coping skills and new levels of patience, tolerance and understanding with our fellow citizens of the world. It is a journey that will remain with us for the rest of our lives. Should you ever be given an opportunity to participate in a similar experience don't hesitate for even a moment. You may be assured that you will never regret it.

References

Dobbs, M. (2007). Never Surrender Pp. 43-47. Naperville IL: Sourcebooks Landmark, .

Perry, M., Chase, M., R.Jacob, J., Jacob, M. C., & Laue, T. H. (2009). Western Civilization; Ideas, Politics and Society Volume 2, 9th Edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Kierkegaard, Soren. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved August 13, 2011, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/soren_kierkegaard.html

Photos by Melinda Schmidt except Notre Dame by Mary Jo Bullock

DeVry University Sends Pilot Group of Students to Study Abroad in France & Germany.

Written by Mary Jo Bullock and Melinda Schmidt

On July 16, 2011, DeVry University sent their first 28 students from around the United States and the Caribbean, along with two professors, Dr. Lynn Burks and Dr. Bethrene Roepnack to Europe to engage in a two week study abroad educational experience. The trip was a whirlwind of tours to various businesses and historical sites. Pride in Work, Job Security, Safety Consciousness, Environmentally Responsible, Expanding Business to China and India, along with Gracious European Hospitability were some of the common themes of the trip.

Our very first experience with global business was a better understanding of the foreign exchange market. The exchange rate favored the euro over the dollar where $400 U.S. dollars bought only €265 Euros. As for first impressions of central Europe, there was an instant awareness of the importance of countries like France and Germany being a hub for businesses from around the world. While Globalization has opened the door for many opportunities, it also comes with challenges. Challenges which we experienced firsthand included communication barriers due to multiple languages and cultural differences. Whether it be asking for directions or trying to order a meal at a local restaurant, any discomfort we were experiencing was amplified by not being fluent in the native spoken languages and not fully understanding their “way of life”.

The group visited several businesses and organizations with our first being the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The ICC’s mission is to promote cross-border trade and investment, and the multilateral trading system. Key organizations with relationships to the ICC are The WTO (World Trade Organization), The United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and The World Bank. Collectively, with these powerful partners, the ICC is able to handle commercial disputes and resolution services, along with policy and business practices, commercial crime services, publications and events and facilitating regional economic integration to better harmonize customs procedures.

On to Exxon Mobil, Nero AG and Dow Chemical where one of the main themes was overall expansion into China and India. Almost all of the companies we visited expected global growth to be considerably higher than domestic growth. We also better understood that companies are not only in existence to make money but to do it responsibly. Both ExxonMobil and Dow exhibited high levels of social and environmental responsibility. For example, ExxonMobil has put $300 million dollars into research using algae for a fuel alternative showing they are constantly looking to the future and estimating new trends.

Dow Chemical shared their overall operational philosophy – a sustainable enterprise that is economic, environmental, and social, citing several examples of how they help the environment and overall society. One that stood in our minds was how they work with water treatment, including waste water use and reverse osmosis, along with climate change to improve life cycles of products and reduce emissions.

As our trip continued, we also visited institutions such as the European Institute in Kehl, Germany. With approximately 30% of the population living in cross-border areas between the countries of France, Germany and Switzerland, understanding the complexities of these cross-border regions becomes a very important lesson to learn.

A highlight of our trip was a visit to the Council of Europe. The organization began May 5, 1949 under the leadership of Winston Churchill to develop democratic principles based on the European Convention on Human Rights and currently has 47 member states. In 1995, the United States became an observer, mainly due to some of our state’s positions on the death penalty. The EC strives to create a culture of cooperation for democracy, human rights, rules of law, policies and principles for citizens and government. While it becomes apparent this is a constant struggle, the council continues to promote these ideas.

Finally, off to the Automobile hub of Europe – Germany! Visits included Wagon Automotive, Audi, and Mercedes. At Wagon we experienced passion and pride of business ownership. We learned that a company's potential income can be used as a measure of the company's health but it is quite another thing to see a company use this theory so effectively in real life. This is a smaller company that has become quite successful by filling a niche market need – the ability to handle small production runs that are not cost effective for the larger companies. They make parts principally for Daimler-Mercedes but also do work for Audi, Lamborghini and others.

At Audi we learned what true European consumer service was all about. Audi customers can pick up their cars, get a tour of the manufacturing plant, buy gear in the Audi shop, and enjoy a meal in the fine restaurant at no additional charge. Global logistics were also observed: both just-in-time production and just-in-sequence. We learned that this level of customer service is what builds Audi's brand loyalty. Audi also showed their commitment to high safety standards. A frequently repeated phrase during our tour was "safe cars, safe investment". Again, the global market became evident with Audi's sales up 44% in India and additional increases in Brazil and Argentina. At Mercedes museum we were exposed to an unusual 7 story building where the exhibits spiraled down through 125 years of history. It was interesting to note how Mercedes tied its own history into the history of the times. Mercedes was heavily involved in producing vehicles/armaments for Germany during WWII. While the exhibit tried to imply that they did so reluctantly, it is clear that Mercedes profited significantly. Many of the things we had been discussing for our classes tied into this museum.

Finally, UPS where we discovered company loyalty and dedication. We learned UPS conducts all of their promoting from within. UPS also does not hire temporary seasonal help for busy holiday times, but rather has all its execs and office staff pitch in. More company pride – again very refreshing to see how proud the employees were of their company.

After our two week tour, it was time to wave goodbye to Central Europe! What a wonderful learning opportunity. Every single person in the class was gleaming with their new-found worldly knowledge. This trip was an eye opener for all of us to learn a whole new dimension of patience and tolerance for other people who are not like us or think and act different from us. This applies to not only the people we encountered in France and Germany, but also to the very diverse group of 30 people that were in our group. Thank you DeVry University for this chance of a lifetime learning opportunity.