Royal Observatory at Greenwich Park

Author: Matthew Manuel | Major: Accounting | Semester: Spring 2025
I participated in the Global Business in London study abroad program, led by University of Arkansas faculty from the Walton College of Business. I spent two weeks during the May intersession exploring England’s vibrant capital and its booming tech and financial sectors. I was
initially drawn to the program because of my career path in public accounting, but I walked away with much more than just a new business perspective. As an upcoming intern at a Big 4 firm, I
look forward to working with large international clients and collaborating with teams abroad in the future. With three of the Big 4 firms headquartered there, London has become a popular and pivotal location for global rotations. Having exposure to the city makes me a more qualified candidate for those opportunities down the road. Additionally, since London is one of the world’s financial capitals, it was a no-brainer to study abroad there and learn from business professionals who are actively shaping European and global markets.

What made this program especially exciting was that all of our learning was based on lectures
from real companies and organizations in London. I got to learn from the former Lord Mayor of
London, the Director of Communications at Turo, the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD), and many others. After each visit, we reflected on how the speaker’s
insights surprised us and what they revealed about London’s business climate. One thing that
really stood out was the consistent emphasis on climate and environmental risk. Our meeting
with the EBRD especially challenged my thinking about my future career. As a bank, they lend
money to countries with underdeveloped private sectors—but only if the companies they work
with commit to reducing environmental impact and preparing for climate risks. They framed
sustainability not as a burden, but as an essential investment for long-term success. That message
resonated with me deeply and sparked a genuine interest in environmental accounting, something
I now hope to explore further during my internship this summer. Their focus on the environment
wasn’t just talk—it was echoed in the city’s infrastructure, too. Nearly every street was lined
with bike lanes, bus stops, and Tube entrances. Public transportation was extremely accessible
and affordable, making owning a car in the city virtually unnecessary.

Outside of academics, I got so much more out of London than I ever expected. Before the trip, I
had heard the food in London was supposedly mediocre—thankfully, that couldn’t have been
more wrong. London had some of the best food I’ve ever had. My TikTok feed had been filled
with videos of people visiting Borough Market, and it completely lived up to the hype. The best
thing I had there—and the most viral on TikTok—was “The Best One” sandwich from The
Black Pig. No matter where we went in the city, there seemed to be a coffee shop on every
corner. As a coffee enthusiast, I was thrilled to try new roasters every day. It was coffee heaven,
and I’ll be on the hunt for a city that compares—but I doubt anything will match London.

I also love musicals and have seen shows like Hamilton and Hadestown at the Walton Arts
Center, so I was beyond excited to experience a show on the West End—London’s version of
Broadway. The highlight of my trip was seeing the hysterically funny and critically acclaimed
The Book of Mormon. The theater was located in the lively, bustling square at Piccadilly Circus,
surrounded by West End theaters. The line to get in was long, and we were running late, so I was
buzzing with adrenaline. The energy was electric, the weather was warm, and I was about to
watch one of London’s best shows with two of my friends, Sean and Danny. The performance
was incredible and made for a spectacular end to the trip—but it left me craving more. I’ll
definitely be going to more shows in the future, hopefully back in London, because the
atmosphere was unmatched by anything I’ve experienced at the Walton Arts Center.