For students looking to expand their studies outside of the classroom, there are many opportunities easily within reach, including taking advantage of a faculty-led study abroad program. These courses are offered by University of Tulsa professors who utilize the international location to enhance student learning and guide the academic component in the context of local culture and site-specific activities.
One of these 2024 courses, Current Topics in Management: Global Innovation & Entrepreneurship, spent the spring semester in the classroom before embarking on a 10-day study abroad in Ireland to put what they learned into practice.
“I was struck by the stunning landscapes that Ireland offers, featuring both coastal and pastoral scenery with vibrant greenery that truly lives up to the descriptions found in literature and film,” said Catherine Dooley, a business management senior whose team recently placed second in the undergraduate division of the 2024 Hurricane Pitch Competition.
The UTulsa students and faculty were hosted by Dublin City University (DCU), as part of a partnership between the universities.
Before they headed to Ireland, the students learned about Irish culture and history as part of their course, as well as comparing and contrasting business practices in the United States and Ireland and engaging in global simulation. They identified challenges within the Irish market and developed business solutions and ways of implementing them as a service. “This allowed us to establish empathy and understanding of the Irish culture, economy, and community,” Dooley added.
In Ireland, students visited prominent startup incubators and accelerators, including Dogpatch Labs, DCU Alpha, and the Health Tech Innovation Hub in Galway to learn from founders and those who are supporting them to build companies in Ireland. While there, they also had the chance to visit the Together Academy, which provides specialized training and employment opportunities to young adults with Down syndrome, which was a highlight for Broen Dowd, another business management senior on the trip.
“Witnessing their work firsthand underscored the importance of aligning business innovation with social good, a lesson that deeply resonated with our classroom studies. It was a very cool experience,” Dowd said.
“This experience reminded me to keep the ‘why’ at the center of any business, aligning with its mission, vision, and values,” said Dooley.
Current Topics in Management: Global Innovation & Entrepreneurship will be offered again in spring 2025, and the deadline for commitment is Dec. 1. In addition, there are several exciting faculty-led study abroad courses being offered, including Public Space and the City (Paris), Global Practices in Health Care (Athens, Greece), and more. Interested students should contact the Center for Global Engagement at globalengagement@utulsa.edu.