Business students experience multiple thrills in New Zealand

F ourteen business students barely had time to breathe during a two-week excursion to New Zealand this summer. It was jam packed with practical learning about leadership and best-sustainability practices, but also featured spectacular vistas, indigenous people, great food and even ziplining.

They also visited Hobbiton, where the blockbuster movie series "Lord of the Rings" was filmed.

Senior marketing major Alanna Filberg at Hobbiton. "This trip allowed me to grow so much, not only in terms of my future career, but as a person," said senior marketing major Alanna Filberg of Alpharetta, Georgia.

"The journey was a long one with a 5-hour plane ride to Los Angeles, followed by a 13-hour journey to Auckland, but I would do it again in a heartbeat to experience it all over again," Filberg said. "This opportunity made me realize there's a whole world out there for us to explore."

New Zealand is called a land of contrasts with rugged mountains, low valleys, subtropical forests, volcanoes and sandy beaches.

Jehan El-Jourbagy, associate professor of business law and ethics at Georgia College & State University, chose to bring her students to New Zealand for its progressive environmental policies and business infrastructure.

Its Climate Change Response Amendment Act, passed in 2019, aims to make New Zealand net carbon zero by 2050. That would put the nation at net zero for greenhouse emissions due to human activities.

"I chose New Zealand, because I wanted students to be inspired by business leaders with a strong commitment to sustainability and also realize how reliant other nations are on United States' policies," El-Jourbagy said.

"I was also hoping they'd learn some of the innovative ways governments and companies lessen our environmental impact," she said, "through the use of renewable energy, compostable takeaway cutlery and containers, and public transportation."

Some students were able to go thanks to scholarships through Georgia College's J. Whitney Bunting College of Business & Technology and the International Education Center. Filberg was one of those students. The scholarship, coupled with her savings, made the dream trip possible.

In addition to their business agenda, students visited Giapo Ice Cream in Auckland-"because normal ice cream is boring." One student along with El-Jourbagy jumped freefall by wire off Sky Tower, the second-tallest free-standing building in the southern hemisphere.

They saw the Hundertwasser Art Center and Whangārei Falls and learned about sacred kauri trees in Waipoua Forest.

Students also skied and snowboarded inside Snowplanet. They toured the Auckland War Memorial Museum, hiked Karangahake Gorge and strolled the stunning white-sand beaches of Mount Maunganui. They rode go-carts through the twists and turns of Luge Rotorua, saw glow worms in the Waitomo Caves, explored geysers at Wai-O-Tapu and ziplined over Waiheke Island.

Business abroad students under glow worms in Waitomo Caves. Senior management information systems major Lilian Alfaro. Lilian Alfaro of Milledgeville is a senior management information systems major. Originally from El Salvador and raised in East Texas, Alfaro especially enjoyed learning the culture, rituals and beliefs of New Zealand's indigenous Māori tribe, "tangata whenua"-"people of the land."

"I was surprised at how well-integrated the country is with its indigenous people," Alfaro said. "Everywhere you go, you see everything written in Māori first, then English. That was surprising to me, but I also thought it was amazing. This showed a deep respect for the Māori culture and its significance in everyday life."

Before going to New Zealand, students were asked to complete coursework on sustainability and leadership. While abroad, they wrote eight blogs and one LinkedIn post.

They met leaders on the forefront of global sustainability, like founder Mark Yates of Ecotricity, which deals in clean energy, and founder Shaun Seaman of Mushroom Material Limited, which uses sustainable packaging.

They visited Zespri, the world's largest marketer of kiwi fruit, and met women entrepreneurs like Kiri Hannifin of Air New Zealand, Nikki Wright of Wright Communications and Annarosa Petrucci of Giapo Ice Cream.

The students made her job easy, El-Jourbagy said.

"This group was amazing. They were all considerate of each other and always willing to put in maximum effort, even when they were tired." she said. "We had some very funny moments, such as a group giggle fit when a very serious tour guide had us gather around a composting toilet at the Hundertwasser Museum in Whangārei. We also had magical moments, such as when a Māori forest guide sang a traditional song as we walked to the oldest tree in New Zealand."

Students feasted on fresh seafood and oysters, locally raised lamb, artisan cheeses and a Lemon & Paeroa soft drink dubbed L&P. Filberg's sure she'll rave about the food culture of New Zealand for years to come.

The country is known for its coffee and she said it "did not disappoint."

Students learned about sustainability from business owners like Mark Yates of Ecotricity. Learning directly from business experts was the most inspiring, enriching what she learned in marketing at Georgia College.

"I loved getting to hear firsthand the passion these leaders have for what they do," Filberg said. "As I begin my senior year and start to explore opportunities in corporate recruiting or public relations, I will remember the amazing people I got to meet, the experiences I embarked on and the personal growth I obtained by traveling abroad and exploring New Zealand."

"I am so beyond grateful," she said, "to Professor El-Jourbagy and the Georgia College International Education Center for making this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity happen."

This study abroad helped Alfaro gain deeper understanding of sustainability. She hopes to use what she learned-how New Zealand businesses leverage technology, data analytics and innovative strategies for sustainable outcomes-to help U.S. businesses go green.

The trip exceeded her expectations.

"Places like Hobbiton, Waipoua Forest, beautiful mountains and clean oceans and lakes will only continue to exist if we take care of our world," Alfaro said. "Many conversations stuck with me and made me think deeply about our planet's future."

"The trip reinforced the importance of sustainability in every aspect of life and business," she added, "and inspired me to integrate these practices into my future career."

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