As the London Business Semester (LBS) celebrates 20 years of teaching University of St. Thomas business undergraduates the importance of cross-cultural experiences, Dean Stefanie Lenway and Assistant Dean Georgia Fisher arrived in London on Wednesday morning to kick off the celebrations.
Established in 1995 as St. Thomas’s first semester abroad program, 1,000 students have now traveled and studied with over 20 Opus College of Business faculty directors. This fall, 48 students are based in London with professors Mary Daugherty and Rich Rexeisen serving as program directors and the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) providing excellent on-site support.
Highlights so far have include a walking tour, facilitated by Mary Daughterty, with sights such as Student Central in Bloomsbury, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and high tea at Fortnum and Mason (Tommie was invited, too!). They also met with LBS students recently returned from their Business 200 course that morning. Finally, November 11 is Remembrance Day in the UK, and the group stopped to view a moving memorial outside of Westminster Abbey.
The three-day site visit provides Dean Lenway with an opportunity to observe how students learn about comparative business practices and cultures, how they experience British history, politics and culture, and how LBS helps to build their careers.
After a good night’s rest, Thursday is a full day: Dean Lenway hosts a student reception, returns to class and meets a home stay family.