*Snap*… our three-week Bocconi Campus Abroad program has ended. What an amazing experience that went by in a flash. Now we’re all wondering what to do at 7am in the morning when our alarm clock rings.
Bocconi Campus Abroad is a three-week intensive program during which 29 students from Universita Bocconi, Milan are joined by 9 Beedie students at the SFU Burnaby campus. This summer the program explored marketing communication strategies with SFU and Bocconi Professors. This one-of-a-kind program was comprised of lectures, projects, corporate visits, and a lot of fun. Harman Dhaliwal and Olivia Phua, Beedie students in the program, have shared some of their highlights with us.
As an SFU student in the program, what was your favorite memory/moment of Bocconi Campus Abroad?
Olivia: When I opted into the class, I literally thought it was an extremely condensed Marketing class with the opportunity to work (professionally) with the Bocconi students. So when I found out we got to be student leaders, I wasn’t sure if I was cut out for it, with my busy schedule and all. But it went completely in the other direction. Being a student leader was actually a lot of fun; I felt like a guru, sharing the Vancouver experience. What we originally thought was supposed to be very professional ended up being fun, with a lot of laughter. I kid you not, our ideas sprouted from delirious talks and random jokes – but yet it worked. If you were to ask me what the experience was like, it’s almost like starting out as individual threads and ending up completely intertwined.
What is one thing you’ve learned from your experience in the program?
Olivia: Although the class lasted for a mere three weeks, it was nothing short of a three-month course. Amongst all the lectures I would say I’ve learnt the most from Professor Borghini (Universita Bocconi), mainly because we got to create an advertising campaign from scratch. We were also exposed to a myriad of successful advertising done by huge companies that certainly triggered our vision for our final project. Seeing how creativity can flow so naturally and freely indubitably spurred my interest in the advertising field.
Harman: It was really great to see the similarities I shared with a lot of the Bocconi students. From music, to interests, to food – we were all on some sort of the same page, which helped us connect. Who would have thought Desiigner’s “Panda” track had made its way out to Italy as a hit record? Oh, and one last thing I learned – the Italians are DRAKE FANS! So clearly we all hit it off right out of the gate.
What is one thing that challenged you?
Olivia: Time management was one thing that I found challenging. And that’s because I’m taking two other business classes and an elective online. It’s just as you’re probably imagining it to be, the Bocconi program is a jam-packed content-driven intensive class – pretty much going through a chapter every class, with your final a week away from your midterm. However, having to prioritize my tasks and projects at hand really allowed me to be more focused and allowed me to streamline my schedule – which (tada!) made my productivity soar through the roof.
What is one thing you’ve learned in this program that you’ll take with you into the business world?
Harman: I think the biggest thing I took away from this is what I learned from Professor Borghini’s lectures: all of the advertisements she showed (mainly the ones that were successful in Italy) shone a light on cross-cultural connections in the marketing world. Her content and delivery was concise, effective, and captivating. Outside of the classroom, I really enjoyed the corporate visit to the McCann Canada office in Vancouver. Stepping into an advertising agency and seeing their modern concepts and culture in full play was amazing. It reminded me of why I want to land myself in this industry from a career perspective.
Olivia: It was intriguing to see how people of different cultures perceive the same subject matter. Even though Vancouver is an extremely multi-cultural city, we have kind of assimilated into the academic system’s requirements and expectations. This class unquestionably breaks these barriers. First of all, the Bocconi professors gave us tons of leeway to explore fresh perspectives, with little directions or limitations. As a result, we were able to merge the European outlook with the Canadian viewpoint to create something that’s way more vibrant than a cookie-cutter idea. Having worked in international corporate firms, I see how diversification of ideas and cross-cultural communication are essential in the business context. I love how I could see this in action again while working with a group of vocal and bright individuals for our projects.
What are your words of encouragement for someone who is considering applying for this program?
Harman: To anyone that is considering applying for this program, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Personally, I couldn’t do an exchange abroad during my schooling – so this was the next best thing. The amount of connections you make in a condensed period of time is overwhelming. I now have friends (yes I said friends, because that’s how well you connect with people in this program) in Italy that I am hoping to visit in the not too distant future. In addition to meeting and connecting with so many amazing people, you only have to be in class for THREE WEEKS! This ended up being the final class of my degree, so it was the perfect way for me to conclude my undergraduate career!
Harman & Olivia: On behalf of the Beedie School of Business and SFU, we would like to extend our warmest thanks to the Bocconi faculty and students for being such great guests. These three weeks have flown by far too quickly. From exploring Vancouver as a group, to working day and night on one-day projects – the experience has been refreshing and special. Many of the Bocconi students would have loved to stay longer – so if the students had it their way – we would all be gearing up for another three weeks! All in all, we hope your stay and visit with us was a fantastic experience. We had a terrific time being able to work with you, share ideas and conversations about a wealth of things, and just become friends. Safe travels home and please do keep in touch.
ARRIVEDERCI!
BIO:
Harman Dhaliwal is a 4th year student completing 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 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