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HONORS SELF- DESIGNED PROPOSAL

Complete this proposal prior to your experiences start date and upload it in the UHP Database
(https://webapps.uc.edu/uchonorsstudent). Create an experience (Add a new record) in the Tracking Project
tab and upload your proposal document as an attachment. The deadline for submitting proposals is the 5th of
each month (excluding July).
Proposals are intended to be well developed plans for your experience. However, experiences are exploratory in
nature, and we are flexible with changes throughout the experience. If your experience changes after receiving
approval on your proposal, contact your honors advisor to verify the changes still satisfy the requirements of an
honors experience.

Basic Information
Full Name: Bryson Min
Title of Project: Study Global Cultures and International Business in London, England
Thematic Area(s): Global Studies, Creativity
Expected Start Date: 18 March 2016
Expected End Date: 26 March 2016

GUIDELINES
1. Proposal submission timeline: Proposals should be submitted at least one month prior to the expected
start date of the experience. International experiences require at least two months notice. Contact your
honors advisor immediately for any exceptions.
2. Proposal length: While the quality of the proposal is most important, strong proposals are typically 3-4
pages single-spaced.
3. Proposal format: Please maintain the proposal format (e.g. headers, layout)
4. Time commitment: Experiences should consist of at least 75-90 hours of preparation, execution, and
reflection. This is approximately equivalent to the commitment of honors seminars and pre-approved
experiences.

REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

All self-designed international travel experiences require two months notice and must be at least one week in
length. You will need to provide a detailed itinerary (dates, locations and activities). If participating in
independent travel (not with UC faculty, staff or student group), you must also fill out a Worldwide: Honors
Experience application via UC International.
Additionally, the Student Travel Policy restricts UC-sponsored travel to countries under a U.S. Department of
State Travel Warning. Those who wish to visit a country with a travel warning must seek an exemption through
UC International. Students traveling without a faculty or staff leader must individually request an exemption.
We cannot allow you to count this travel as an honors experience nor can we give you a grant without an
approved exemption.

1. Abstract
The Study Abroad to London will examine the cultural, economic, and business climate of London.
Through presentations and company visits we will gain an understanding of global business and current
economic conditions both within the United Kingdom as well as within Europe. One day will include visiting
a business school and interacting with British students. The program will include cultural sightseeing which will
give a well-rounded interdisciplinary study of London its past and present.
This experience will allow me to continue to pursue my goal of becoming a global citizen by analyzing
and studying the cultural aspects of the city and people. Furthermore, I have always believe that the best way to
study international business is by just plainly studying business habits in another country. Through this firsthand
experience, I will also gain knowledge and understanding about the culture of the people of the United
Kingdom, and specifically London. This engagement will allow me to truly study the business atmosphere from
a completely new perspective as the trip intends, while permitting me to pursue the thematic area of Global
Studies in a more personal way. I will attempt to further communicate with the students and citizens of London
to understand how their culture reflects in reference to ours, allowing me to better understand a country that is
so similar, but still so different in many ways. Furthermore, this will allow me to mark another city of my map,
on my quest to achieve global citizen status.
I have a passion for travel and have also had the desire to travel to London form a young age. The
unique characteristics that separate it from a typical American city will allow me to broaden my perspectives
while engaging in dialogue beneficial for both my business career as well as my personal life. The cultures of
people in different countries has always interested me; as evidenced by my trips to Toronto, Canada, as well as
Santiago, Panama. Through the experience I will improve my understanding of cultures and how they relate to
business, which in turn will improve my validity as a candidate for a career.
This trip will take place over the course of Spring Break, from March 18 26, and will consist of a
multitude of activities that will engage me in not only academic affairs, but those surrounding the daily lives
and habits of the Londoners. The following is a brief itinerary of the plans while abroad:
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday

Tuesday
Wednesday

Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Depart Cincinnati, group flight

AM: Arrive in London
PM: City Bus Tour
AM: Sightseeing: Hop on Hop Off bus
Evening: Group Dinner
AM: Visit to CASS Business School in London
PM: Lecture: London's position in the European Union and the global stage
Evening: Social event with British students
AM: US Embassy Commercial Services
PM: Company visit
AM: Tour of London's financial district
PM: Lloyds of London
Evening: Walking tour of ethnic neighborhoods
AM: Visit Parliament
PM: Company visit
AM: BBC Broadcasting House
PM: Company Visit
Day trip: Cultural excursion
Flight home to Cincinnati

I will attempt to spend at least 1-2 hours a day engaging with Londoner life via recommendations
from citizens as well as tourist guides. This time spent may include local eateries or forms of entertainment that
would differentiate itself from the typical lives of an American citizen. At least 1 hour a night will be spend
recapping my experiences in a live blog I plan to implement into my website so others may experience the trip
with me.

1. Abstract
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Brief description of the experience

Personal connection to the experience
Identified goals for the experience
Timeline from start to finish
*Itinerary (international experiences only)
**Explanation of differentiated
experience from what is required of other
students

2. Experience Advisor
Advisor Name: Dr. Catalin Macarie
Contact Information: catalin.macarie@uc.edu (P: 513-556-2608)
I chose Dr. Macarie as he is going to be the faculty advisor for the trip along with the professor for the
class that we will be attending before and after the trip. He is well versed in the fields of business, but has also
successfully operated the London trip for many years. Furthermore, with such experience, he will be able help
me better understand London culture and how it ties into their business aspects, while also contrasting to that of
American practices.
I plan to converse with Dr. Macarie outside of class at least twice a month before the trip to better
prepare myself as well as reflect on expectations (beforehand) and results (afterwards) to gauge how much I
have improved as a Global citizen. Additionally, while on the trip I will work with him daily to better
understand the impact of culture through our daily planned activities as well as what to partake in during our
free time in London. I am going to make him aware of my live blog as well so they he may check that I am
partaking in various activities different than what is possible in America, as well as advertise if he choose to and
faculty, students, or friends who may be interested.
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
Experience advisor name and contact
information
Description of why advisor was selected
Specific plans to engage with advisor

Required Revisions:

Effective:

3. Connection to Learning Outcomes

Summarize the interconnectedness of geography, history, cultural traits and world issues.

When it comes to the individual culture of a country, they can play a huge part inn how business is done
between multiple countries. By reflecting on the cultural aspects of the daily lives of Londoners (a larger
business capital), I will be able to better understand how it can positively or negatively affect different aspects
of the business process. Things as simple as vacation days or things as large as national holidays all play a part
in how the people of the country work, and by knowing these things I will have a step ahead or at least in
stride with the competition.
Furthermore, given the history of our two countries, it will be interesting to see how after being such
longtime allies it can affect business making decision when it comes to trade and commerce. This is
increasingly important to understand as global economics is an increasingly powerful force, driving all
countries to interconnectedness.

Demonstrate a sense of empathy, respect, and appreciation for others to build meaningful cross-cultural
collaborations toward mutual growth and prosperity.

Throughout my limited travel experience to Panama, Mexico, and Canada I have experienced a large
amount of cultural growth. This experience has driven me to better adapt to a global environment as opposed to
just that of the country I am in. By partaking in the Londoner culture I will be able to now add it to my
repertoire in my global citizen arsenal.
It is extremely important to understand global cultures as the future of humanity depends on collaboration,
not individualization. Through the use of cultural awareness, I will be able to bridge the gap betwixt two
countries (of which may have differing ideologies) as a first step into global collaboration. In terms of my
career, by bridging the gap and becoming a member of an international corporation (as opposed to an
American-based corp.) I will have the best grasp on the rising global economy and future prosperity of our
growing collaborative Earth.

Identify personal strengths and areas of growth and evaluate opportunities to maximize skills and
abilities.

By entering into this trip I hope to enhance my skills of communication and analytics. I have recognized in
the past that I am proficient in dialogue and presentation skills, lending me the ability to stand out when
communicating in a variety of activities from; ideas in presentations to speaking with future employers. If I
expand my experience by communicating with Londoners, I will be able to obtain a better grasp on the English
language as well as the ability to better understand and respond to a multitude of different dialects and accents,
making me more versatile in speaking and not being thrown off by unknown inflections or words.
Through this experience, the business studies of it will allow me to examine the analytics of London
business and how I can improve upon international logistics and operations. When it comes to operations
management, knowing the data behind how a company moves can be the make or break decision in terms of
success; and in turn a successful analysis of the data can mean future prosperity for the company.
In terms of areas of growth, I hope to expand my knowledge on economies especially global economics
given that I know very little about how it all works. By understanding this knowledge, I will be able to apply it
back into my career and make more informed decisions about spending and how a product may be viewed in a
global market after production. Furthermore, just understanding general trends will allow me to better
communicate with companies about how the company will move in the future in terms of logistics.

3. Connection to learning outcomes.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

3 learning outcomes explicitly identified

from any thematic area(s)
Examples of activities and explanation of
how each will assist the progress towards
the chosen learning outcome
Estimated time commitment for each
activity

4. Academic Resources Connected to the Learning Outcomes

http://www.bbc.com/travel/europe/great-britain/england/london

This source will allow me to remain updated on the most recent advice and news for travelers in the area. While
it is perhaps not the most academic of ideas, it is an accurate depiction of London culture and entertainment,
which will allow for me to explore those areas more.
http://wn.com/living_in_london_england_full_documentary_2013

This is a documentary that examines the lifestyles and daily go-abouts of the Londoners and how it relates both
domestically as well as internationally on the cultural spectrum. This source will further permit me to
understand the London culture and how it can affect what I do in the business realm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD0lx9MKp7Q , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zal-ToCjLQM

These two videos are the series that analyzes how power and money is present in London, England as well as
how it has stemmed from the past till the future. By watching these to videos, the series will allow me to
connect the business aspects of daily operations with that of the global market.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
1-2 academic resources connected to the
learning outcomes
Title and author of each resource
Description of how resources will help
make progress towards learning outcomes
and execution of experience

Required Revisions:

Effective:

5. On-going Reflection
Before:
During:
After:

I will be speaking with Professor Macarie in order to better acclimate myself to change in culture
and ideals.
I will be writing a live blog about my daily activities and how they has affected my ideals about
culture and business, especially that of international business.
I will be writing a summary of my trip and posting that to my webpage alongside a presentation I
will make to further emphasize key points achieved while on the trip.

Sample Questions:
1.) What are my current impressions of London, England and its people.
2.) What have I done that made me Self-Aware that I stood out as an American.
3.) How I felt and what I learned from the company and university visits.
4.) What is something I did today that will set me ahead in my career.
5.) What is one strategy I can implement to further bridge the gap in international business.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Method for ongoing reflection

Reflection questions/topics clearly
specified

6. Sharing Your Learning

I plan to work with the Business Fellows program and incorporate another study abroad speaker series and panel
into one of the general body meetings for spring semester. I am specifically targeting business fellows as they are a group
I identify with as well as a group designed for resources. I believe that student resources are some of the best available as
they establish a more personal and attainable ideal that a person with a vast amount more of experience. Through the
speaker panel I will not only be able to illustrate my trip, but be able to answer pertinent questions about travel, culture,
costs, and how it relates to my plan for the future. Questions like these cannot always be answered in a brochure so buy
creating that personal element I will be able to further bring together the Business Fellow community and the UHP as
well.
Furthermore, I will be updating my website upon return with a summary of the trip and my learning outcomes.
However, as I mentioned before, I will be establishing a live blog to keep up with my daily activities in London,
England so that anyone with access to internet can tune in and see what Im up to.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
At least one method to actively share
take-away/learning from the experience
A specific audience and why the audience
was selected

Required Revisions:

Effective:

7. Budget (if applicable)

Provide an itemized budget and indicate your source for cost information.
*If you are engaged in an unpaid internship or research, please indicate the number of weeks and hours per week you
plan to participate.
Program Fee: Housing, one group dinner, entrance fees, subway passes
International group airfare (estimate)
UC International block grant
LCB Study Abroad scholarship
Total estimated cost

$1500
$1200
($300)
($300)
$2100

*Taken from UC International London Brochure Information

Advisor Feedback
Notes:
Detailed budget of expenditures with
sources to justify budget estimates
*Indicates the number of hours per week
and number of weeks of participation

Required Revisions:

Effective:

THEMATIC AREA LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning Outcomes for the Community Engagement Thematic Area:
By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Identify and differentiate multiple ways to contribute towards the development or achievement of the communitys
goals.
Develop a thorough understanding of the world view, beliefs, experiences, self-consciousness, or history of
community members through collaboration.
Articulate the purpose of service on a social issue or public policy and how service mutually enhances individual
growth and the common good.
Explain how education, advocacy, mobilization, or public policy can influence social issues and transform
communities.

Learning Outcomes for the Creativity Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Discover new techniques to gain knowledge, consider options, make new connections, and ask questions.
Explore a new creative competency/medium or seek new ways to engage an existing competency/medium.
Understand and optimize the use of people, technology, physical resources or community in a creative process.
Articulate the broader significance of a creative project and the value of its contributions.

Learning Outcomes for the Global Studies Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Develop practical travel skills that promote safe, stimulating, and productive travel throughout your life.
Summarize the interconnectedness of geography, history, cultural traits and world issues.
Articulate the interdependence of professional fields to address current and impending global issues such as
technology, the environment, human rights, or politics.
Demonstrate an understanding of cultural diversity by acknowledging the impact of their own identity and the
experience of social norms, customs, or beliefs that are different from their own.
Demonstrate a sense of empathy, respect, and appreciation for others to build meaningful cross-cultural
collaborations toward mutual growth and prosperity.

Learning Outcomes for the Leadership Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Formulate and manage a shared vision and develop goals towards its achievement.
Motivate and collaborate effectively with others towards completion of shared projects or goals.
Develop strategies to identify and respond to challenges and obstacles.
Identify personal strengths and areas of growth and evaluate opportunities to maximize skills and abilities.
Synthesize the current trends related to a specific issue or field and evaluate how thought-leaders are currently
addressing them.

Learning Outcomes for the Research Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Demonstrate the ability to locate, interpret, and critically evaluate primary sources appropriate to field.
Identify and apply appropriate methods to collect and organize data for analysis.
Analyze and interpret the meaning of results.
Produce dissemination appropriate to the field in order to share the results or impact of the research.
Articulate the broader significance of the research project and its relationship to other fields, research and ideas.