Each year the LSU Flores MBA Program offers its students the unique opportunity to attend international trips. In this three-part international trips series, we will highlight some of our recent international trips and spotlight our student, faculty and staff’s experiences. The final international trips feature is on our Class of 2017 Executive MBAs in Japan with special emphasis on our faculty and staff’s perspectives.
As a part of the LSU Flores Executive MBA (EMBA) curriculum, the class attends two international trips. For the last trip of the program, the EMBA Class of 2017 spent eight days (November 12-19, 2017) exploring Tokyo and Osaka in Japan accompanied by faculty member Chris Denstel and staff member Nioz Rafii-Tabrizi.
While the international trips are designed to provide our MBA candidates with an enriching cultural experience, the trips also provide our Flores MBA professors and staff members the opportunity to connect with the candidates outside of the classroom setting.
MBA Accounting Instructor Chris Denstel shared, “The international trips allow the students and their professors the opportunity to compare and contrast business practices here and abroad. Traveling to Japan gave me the opportunity to provide educational instruction outside the classroom. The EMBA curriculum supports immersion into different cultures which is exciting for the students from diverse disciplines and exciting for myself.”
Flores MBA Coordinator Nioz Rafii-Tabrizi shared, “Traveling with our EMBAs was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed getting to know each of the candidates better. It was so enriching to travel and explore different parts of Japan with a unique group of candidates, who each brought something different to the table. Not only were our cultural experiences fun and enriching, but also our business visits were incredibly interesting. It was the perfect balance of culture and business.”
Nioz Rafii-Tabrizi pictured centered with EMBAs and locals.
The trip itinerary consisted of business visits to Control Risks, CB&I, U.S. Commerce Office Osaka and Gekkeikan Sake Brewer.
The cultural visits in Tokyo consisted of exploring Tsukiji Fish Market, Imperial Palace, Meiji Jingu Shrine and Mt. Fuji. While in Osaka, Denstel, Rafii-Tabrizi and the EMBAs visited the Kinkaku-ji Temple and the Nijo Castle. They also had the opportunity to attend a Japanese Tea Ceremony with a tea master.
The Japan international trip was an excellent way to complete the LSU Flores Executive MBA curriculum. Before graduating in December 2017, the EMBAs were able to build lasting memories with Denstel, Rafii-Tabrizi and their fellow classmates.
Backpacks to Briefcases 