Welcome to Canada and our beautiful province of British Columbia. We are very excited to host you at Simon Fraser University and look forward to an amazing three-week experience filled with enriched learning and making lifelong connections.
Why did you choose to partake this program?
Harman: I haven’t been to Italy myself, so this program was the next best thing – bringing a piece of Italy here to SFU. I won’t lie, the nerves of participating in this program crept up as the minutes ticked down on Monday morning before we met our Italian counterparts – playing the role of ambassador for our city (as a part of the program Beedie students act as “buddies”/mentors to the Bocconi students) can seem a bit daunting at times. However, as the minutes turned to seconds and the door eventually swung open, the feelings shifted from anxiousness to excitement – it was showtime.
What were your first day impressions?
Olivia: Pumped with energy and excitement, we stepped into the class, ready to meet the new faces and experience a different culture. We were greeted by a table of delectable pastries, coffee and a myriad of smiling faces. We spent the first thirty minutes locating our buddies and making sure they have settled in nicely. Their first words to me were “wow, Vancouver is so hot”, contrary to their perception that weather in Canada is like that of the Arctic. They then proceeded to gush over how green our city was, literally and figuratively.
Harman: I was thrilled to meet the Bocconi students, eager to see what a group of university students from across the globe would be like – spoiler alert, they were awesome out of the gate. The first thing I heard from one of them was their idea of what to expect when they arrived; putting it in the words of one of the Bocconi students, “when I think of BC, I envision forest and bears” – I mean she wasn’t completely far off the mark!
If you’re curious as to what type of experience this was, think of a blind date. Meeting a group of strangers that you’ve heard plenty about, but are now going to see and meet in person for the very first time. A mixture of nerves, pressure, and excitement churns inside – and then all of a sudden things click! That is what happened for me and my buddies: it felt like “friends at first sight”.
What is Bocconi Campus Abroad?
Harman: This three-week program aims to expose the Bocconi students to North American economy, culture, and lifestyle. While engaged in learning, we are also able to show off all of the breathtaking sites our province has to offer – from the mountains to the water, Bocconi students will see it all. At its educational core, the program will explore the world of Marketing Communications as a team of Bocconi & SFU professors guide student learning through the various aspects of effective and successful marketing.
Olivia: Although it is an intensive course, jam-packed with content and deliverables, it is engaging to understand marketing from an Italian perspective. As the Bocconi curriculum is influenced by Milan, one of the largest fashion capitals in the world, Professor Andrea Rurale alludes to many contemporary retail examples, from Esselunga – a large chain of supermarkets in Italy – to brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi. This allows us to explore different fields of marketing, giving us a fresh outlook to the concepts and application techniques in the retail industry. Immersing ourselves in a different culture inevitably helps us grow as future marketers, with the ability to create ‘glocal’ and ‘lobal’ campaigns for the international market.
What was the highlight of your first day?
Olivia: Our first lecture of the course was on Integrated Marketing Communication: we delved into relevant theories, concepts and marketing strategies carried out by large conglomerates. Professor Rurale also drew on neuromarketing ideas and brand messaging to enhance our understanding of different aspects of marketing.
After the fun-filled class, we visited Tap and Barrel for a Welcome Dinner, where we had the opportunity to network with the Bocconi students. They were extremely warm and amiable, sharing the photos that represented different parts of Italy. Although I’ve been to Italy before, the itinerary was pretty much constrained to tourist attractions (museums, cathedrals, palaces) – it was amazing and eye-opening to see the diversity Italy offers. The quaint villages and scenic beaches are now on my bucket list. Likewise, the “I can’t wait to explore Vancouver” mentality resonated across the table. We kicked off this program with bubbling excitement, and we cannot wait to learn more, know more and experience more!
Bios:
Harman Dhaliwal
Harman Dhaliwal is a 4th year student entering his final semester of his Bachelor of Business Administration: Marketing Concentration. Outside of SFU, he is currently a full-time employee with the Surrey School District. He is very passionate about his job and is very proud of the district he works in. If you have any questions, you can reach him at hsdhaliw@sfu.ca
Olivia Phua
Olivia Phua is a 4th year Beedie School of Business student with a concentration in Marketing and HR. She is interested in digital marketing and employer branding, and would love to work in Hospitality or Entertainment industry in the future. Aside from school, her passions are dancing and travelling. She can be reached at ophua@sfu.ca