USC Marshall School of Business

As it threw financial markets into turmoil and upended industries from Boston to Bangalore, the worldwide economic meltdown made one thing abundantly clear: Globalization is here to stay. Suddenly, the interconnectedness of far-flung economies was no longer the stuff of abstract academic theory, but was instead being played out on the world stage for all to see. Today, a unique program at USC's Marshall School of Business prepares students for this era of shrinking international borders, giving them hands-on experience to develop the tools for business success.

Learning About International Commerce, or LINC, exposes USC Marshall freshmen to business practices outside the United States. The only program of its kind in the United States, LINC pairs a two-unit course on international business with a 10-day trip to meet executives and political leaders abroad. It’s a rare opportunity, says Director of Undergraduate Student Services Guillermina Molina-Sabatini, for students to learn about global business "early in their academic career, so they can continue to immerse themselves in international affairs throughout their remaining years at USC Marshall." And by laying the groundwork for a sustained commitment to exploring diverse cultures and ways of doing business, LINC reinforces one of Marshall's primary goals: equipping students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a competitive global marketplace.

Nearly 80 percent of USC Marshall's freshman class participates in overseas travel, a testament to the growing popularity of LINC and its sister initiatives. Destinations include countries like Chile, Taiwan and Singapore, whose robust economies give them increasing clout both regionally and around the world. Tzy-Hwan Hubert Chang, a recent participant in LINC's trip to Singapore, says the experience opened his eyes. "We visited Ernst & Young, the Port of Singapore, the National University of Singapore and Asian Pacific Breweries," he says. "These visits reaffirmed Singapore's vibrant economic base and its significant role in globalization and international commerce." The trip also drove home the importance of international cooperation in business. "As the irreversible trend of the 21st century," Chang says, "globalization means we must reach out" and build partnerships to reap financial reward.

That lesson was not lost on Patrick Lauer, who accompanied LINC on a recent visit to Taipei. For him, the experience highlighted the value of collaborating with, and learning from, international competitors. "We visited Kaohsiung Hospitality College, which specializes in teaching hospitality to the air, hotel, culinary and travel industries," he recalls. "It was striking to realize the attention to customer service that is so often overlooked in American hospitality industries."

For Aileen Xu, another Singapore participant, the learning went beyond the traditional business realm. "Singapore has no homeless people," she notes. "We went to see the Housing & Development Board, which shows the government can do so much. It's a good example for America because we still have these problems that Singapore has already solved." As Xu sees it, observing these differences first-hand gives classroom learning a crucial practical context. "You can’t just learn this kind of thing from books," she says. "You have to see it for yourself."

Xu attributes her ability to make the trip, in part, to USC Marshall's willingness to support LINC with dedicated resources. "The school does a great job of funding students with scholarships," she says."The financial aid helped a lot."

The school is dedicated to including as many students as possible, says Isha Awasthi, who traveled to Santiago, Chile as part of LINC. For USC Marshall, Awasthi says, the benefit of a well-subscribed program is two-fold: students develop key insight into "what is happening in the world," which in turn "allows them to bring a unique perspective to future class discussions," thereby enriching the entire USC Marshall experience. Though she has only recently returned from her trip, Awasthi already looks at things differently: "Even after having been home for only a little bit of time, I already notice how much the trip has changed my perspective on the world."

In addition to broadening students' knowledge of international cultures and communities, LINC also gives them a chance to make enduring social connections. "The other students there were 60 of us really put the icing on the cake for this trip," says Santiago participant Ailis Garcia. Traveling together "allowed me to bond with and make new friends." Over the course of the trip, Garcia found herself looking inward, as well. "As cliché as this sounds, I learned a lot about myself and about my future goals in my career and life."

When it comes to achieving those career goals, LINC offers students a leg up. Justin Segal, a recent Singapore participant, is spending the summer working for Weston Real Estate Management Institute in Shanghai, learning about property development and putting his Mandarin language skills to use. Having the LINC experience under his belt "gave me something valuable to talk about in my interviews and application. The fact that I visited influential companies in one of the 'Asian Tigers' showed initiative and gave me a unique advantage that not every other applicant could say they had." It's just one of the many reasons Segal rates the LINC trip as "definitely a 10 out of 10. It was the experience of a lifetime."