Staff Reports

Mikala Greenlee, a business major at IUPUC and graduate of Hauser High School, spent her summer in Athens, Greece, studying at the American College of Greece.

Greenlee participated in a four-week study abroad program with 16 other Indiana University students studying the intersection of business and society, through the lens of business ethics, sustainability and stakeholder management. In addition to the course lectures and experiential learning, the students went on excursions to a Greek island, the ruins of Agamemnon’s kingdom, Mycenae and the world-famous ancient amphitheater of Epidaurus.

The Division of Business at IUPUC requires all students to participate in an experiential learning opportunity as part of their curriculum.

Greenlee recently discusses the value of her study abroad trip, the importance of learning through experience and the excitement of seeing the world through a different lens.

Why did you choose to study in Greece?

I recognized that studying in Greece would have vast implications regarding my education, business and professional skills. Greece has been impacted by the recent financial downturn and has demonstrated significant resilience, even with several economic forces acting against it. This provided an excellent learning opportunity to improve my cultural and international awareness and understanding in efforts to enhance myself as a young scholar. Additionally, I was excited to visit the Greek businesses and multinational companies to witness how business is conducted globally.

What was your favorite part of the trip?

The Greek beaches and shorelines were beautiful, but my favorite part of the trip came with viewing the historical sites and experiencing Greek culture through daily excursions. I immensely enjoyed the frequent visitations to historical monuments and temples. Visits to Mycenae, Epidaurus and the Acropolis of Athens were especially significant to my overall learning experience. I was able to fully appreciate the combination of myth and history behind the creation of these magnificent structures. I could have browsed the museums for hours learning more about the cultural relevance of these historical monuments and artifacts. These types of educational excursions proved to be my favorite part of the trip because they were true testimonies of ancient Greek myth and legend.

What was the most impactful learning experience you had in Greece?

In addition to the frequent trips to the beautiful beaches and historical monuments in Greece, I thoroughly enjoyed the business and nonprofit visitations. These were perhaps among the most impactful learning experiences while in Greece. I especially enjoyed visiting charitable organizations and learning about their corporate social responsibility initiatives, fundraising efforts and witnessing the immense passion and sense of duty company professionals can exhibit. One organization single-handedly encouraged me to rethink my career aspirations and goals in life.

A guiding principle was frequently relayed during this trip: life is only worth living if there is passion in it. This principle and several industry visits enabled me to better reflect on my career ambitions and the decisions associated with them. Do I pursue a corporate lifestyle capitalizing on my competitive nature, or do I pursue my selfless ambitions and passions leaning toward my nonprofit interests? Several experiences on the trip better enabled me to consider these options more carefully.

Students at IUPUC are eligible to participate in Indiana University-sponsored trips where they meet the eligibility requirements. For more information on study abroad opportunities and scholarships to support a trip, contact Jeni Chandler at studyab@iupuc.edu.

Columbus North senior Emma Wilson is busy focusing on her future goals, specifically preparing for college and deciding which of seven higher learning institutions to attend.

With the help of Youth Leadership Bartholomew County (YLBC), Wilson found the boost she — and a select group of other seniors — needed to take the step from high school to college.

Wilson and other area seniors gained experience above the normal high school curriculum requirements in skills such as communication, college applications and résumé writing thanks to the YLBC program — and a lot of personal hard work.

“This program was a massive help in preparation for my college career and into the working world afterward — specifically the YLBC interview,” Wilson said.

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Through YLBC, the students not only got the opportunity to build leadership skills and receive awards for exceptional work in school and the program, but they earned a day out of the classroom in September to celebrate those accomplishments and prepare for their futures.

The real work was in qualifying, completing the assignments that are part of the program and learning how to apply those skills to future endeavors. To qualify for YLBC, students must be juniors and have at least a GPA of 9.0 on a 12.0 scale , according to YLBC co-chair Candi Hester. Students who participate sign a letter of intent and submit a packet to counselors that contains an essay, a résumé and brief biography. In the fall of their senior year, students complete a professional interview with a community member, Hester said.

Casey Weisner, a senior at Columbus East and YLBC participant, said working to get into the program was what counted most. The program is a unique method of preparing students for the real world.

“It is a unique and educational way of equipping and congratulating students who stand out in our community,” Hester said. “Students that participate can add the program to their awards and notable sheets that they submit to college and colleges find it a significant notable.”

With this goal in mind, the essays are graded by Ivy Tech Community College Columbus and returned to students to aid in college application essay writing. The interviews offer a formal setting to test students’ skills, and receive feedback and composite scores. The resume made students focus on an important aspect in the job sphere that most students don’t look at until much later.

“Piecing together a résumé was also helpful,” Wilson said. “It forced me to start thinking about that pretty early.”

The culminating event was a professional development workshop Sept. 19 at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, said Robyn Spoon, Global Achievement Center’s founder and one of the workshop’s developers. It gave students a chance to learn skills such as leading dynamically, communicating effectively and identifying their personal strengths and motivators.

Students were divided into groups based upon the field they hope to go into after graduation, Hester said. Among those professionals at the event were lawyers, nurses, teachers, designers, policemen and engineers.

The process is a highly personal one for each student, Spoon said, with the goal being for them to find their personal strengths to help them succeed in a professional setting.

Everyone receives a participation certificate, memory book and their essay and interview notes. Outstanding students of the program walk away with more than these items and the knowledge they have acquired, as they earn monetary awards.

Wilson received the highest award given, the platinum award of $1,500. She plans to attend college to major in business but is still deciding which school to attend. She has been offered scholarships Butler University, Xavier University and Indiana University with a direct admission into the Kelley School of Business, but it is still waiting to hear about academic scholarships from schools such as Clemson University and Miami University in Ohio.

Weisner said the $1,000 gold award she earned will go toward college. She intends to attend Ball State University — where she earned a $24,000 scholarship — and double major in elementary and childhood education. She was grateful for the program and its lessons in leadership.

“If I want to be a leader in life, I need to step up,” Weisner said. “And YLBC gave me the confidence to be (a leader).”

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Youth Leadership Bartholomew County is a program designed to recognize students who are doing outstanding work in school and the community. It helps participants hone the skills they will need in college and their careers.

To be eligible, students must:

• Have at least a 9.0 GPA
• Be a junior (the program lasts into their senior year)

For more information, visit: bartholomewcountyyouthleadership.com.

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University news

Ivy Tech group seeking donations for shelters

The Student Leadership Academy of Ivy Tech Community College Columbus is seeking donations of toiletries and cleaning supplies to benefit two homeless shelters in Columbus.

Donations of wash cloths, towels, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, cleaning and laundry supplies and paper products are being accepted. The items will benefit Horizon House and the new Brighter Days Housing.

Donations can be dropped off at the following Columbus locations:

•Ivy Tech’s Poling Hall, 4475 Central Ave.

•Kroger Marketplace, 3060 N. National Road

•Columbus Behavioral Center, 2223 Poshard Drive

•Columbus Municipal Airport, 4770 Ray Boll Blvd.

•Community Church of Columbus, 3850 N. Marr Road.

The donation drive runs through Dec. 3 and is for the students’ community service project.