Author: Cole Hoover               Major: Computer Engineering

Picture on the Rialto Bridge in Venice

I will never forget my 5 weeks spent in Italy this summer. I experienced more than I ever imagined, learned so much more about myself, acquired new skills, developed existing ones, and made lifelong connections. This summer was unique due to COVID-19. There were only 14 students from the University of Arkansas and 12 from the University of Kansas, whereas in a normal summer there would be 150 students from several universities. This small group allowed for everyone to get to know each other and for the CIMBA staff to plan events that couldn’t happen in years past. We were also some of the only Americans and tourists in the country, so we were able to have an authentic Italian experience.

I absolutely loved the CIMBA program. I heard about the program from a few members of my fraternity. One of their mothers is Dr. Molly Rapert, a professor here at the University of Arkansas and she has been teaching at this program every summer for 20 years. CIMBA was originally an international MBA program, but has since expanded to include undergraduate study abroad programs with classes for all majors. I am an engineering major but took two business classes that would help fulfill my general business minor. I aspire to start my own business one day and gaining this business education along with my engineering degree will no doubt be beneficial for me in advancing my professional goals. The first class I took is called Global Consumer, and it was an international marketing class taught by Dr. Molly Rapert. In this course we studied Italy, China and Africa, their history, economies, and how they use marketing strategies in today’s world. The second class I took was called Introduction to Law taught by Kim Petrone, also a professor at the University of Arkansas. Both of my instructors were incredible. They were both extremely knowledgeable on the subjects we discussed and brought in their own personal experience which was great. Because the class sizes were small, I was able to foster closer relationships with my professors than what I normally can in Fayetteville. The classes were also very interesting and a nice change of pace from what I am used to. Studying marketing and law is very different from what I learn in my engineering classes, but I love to learn new things, no matter the subject. The classes were heavily discussion based, a class style I have not had much of in my college career. In Global Consumer, we read several articles about both China and Africa, as well as a book about child soldiers in Africa, and every day as a class we would talk about our takeaways from our readings. In Introduction to Law, we would read from our textbook or about a case and discuss what we learned. The heavy discussions helped solidify the material we were covering and kept me engaged and interested every day.

One of my favorite parts about the CIMBA program is the allowance for travel each weekend and the field trips each week. We had 3 weekends of travel during the program, and I stayed an extra week traveling in Italy after the program ended with 5 other students. Each class had one field trip every week to local businesses or historical locations close to our campus. I experienced the small-town culture of Italy in the town of Paderno del Grappa in the Veneto region of Northern Italy where our campus was located, a nearby town called Asolo where we would taxi to on weeknights for a bite to eat, and some of the other small towns that we got to visit. I also got to see the incredible renaissance art and architecture in Florence, the beautiful coastal villages of Cinque Terre and Positano, the canals of Venice, the bustling night life and big city feel of Milan and Rome, the ruins of Pompeii, and the breathtaking views in Capri and Sorrento. During our field trips, we visited a ceramic factory and took a virtual tour of a coffee company and got to talk with the business owners about the effects of COVID on their business. We visited a couple Villas and learned about their history and importance in the region. Outside of the field trips, the CIMBA staff planned other events for the group. These included pizza making at a pizzeria in Asolo, learning how to make homemade pasta, a wine appreciation seminar, a traditional gourmet Italian dinner, a trip to the nearby cities of Padova and Bassano Del Grappa, visiting botanical gardens and the top of nearby Mount Grappa where there was a World War II monument.

I would absolutely recommend this program to other students. I believe this program is unique because it allows for so much independence, learning, and growth. The staff assists you in your travel planning, but in the end, it is up to you and your travel group to book everything, navigate the train stations, check into where you’re staying, and immerse yourself into the Italian culture. I feel studying abroad is something you only fully understand after you do it, reflect, and see what you have learned. My advice is to step out of your comfort zone, commit to experiencing everything you can, and cherish every moment while abroad. While I enjoyed my time in Italy, I am glad to be back home enjoying fast food, good, reliable air conditioning, seeing and hearing a familiar language, and going about life with a broader perspective of the world.