Going Beyond Borders to Beat the Recession Battle
Last month, California’s unemployment rate rose to its highest level since World War II. But Huntington Beach native Michael Douglas has a one-two punch solution to beating the recession battle. He has taken his education and professional outreach beyond California’s borders to Europe and Asia.
“I’ve always considered myself open-minded,” says Douglas. “But being around the world this past year, living and studying in so many different countries has opened my eyes to so many things.”
Douglas graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in economics. But, it was his major emphasis work in global studies and minor in Latin American studies that stirred his passion to take his business career international. Right now, Douglas is finishing his MBA degree at Webster University in Vienna, Austria, where he and fellow students have been known to cool off from classes with a swim in the Danube. He started Webster’s 11-month Global MBA program studies last August in Geneva, Switzerland, and then spent the following semesters in The Netherlands, London and China.
Even grocery shopping abroad can be memorable so Douglas has a hard time narrowing his year down to a favorite experience. However, he does say he will always remember Webster’s 30th Anniversary at its Geneva campus, where he was among guests from all over the world.
“Talk about an international night,” remembers Douglas. “I remember looking around and saying ‘Where am I?’ We were able to meet everyone from the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to students from across the globe.”
Douglas knows living and studying in five different international countries this past year will show a future employer his versatility and adaptability. With more businesses expanding their reach internationally, Douglas has expanded his global business knowledge to strengthen his competencies in logistics, brand development and international relations.
“You can prepare all you want and you can read the guide books but until you live and study abroad you won’t understand what it is like to be truly global,” he says.
Source: Webster University