American University of Beirut student Rami spent the first 13 years of his life in Saudi Arabia. University of Michigan student Janavi, the daughter of Indian immigrants, grew up in Tennessee and Michigan before moving across the world with her family to Shanghai, China. As a result of their international upbringings, they both thought they would be comfortable in a course like this. However, both Rami and Janavi experienced some welcome surprises when participating in William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan’s (WDI) Business & Culture (B&C).

In the latest cohort of the B&C program, Rami and Janavi shared a similar experience: living in a different country for many years, immersed in different cultures, and thinking they’d be comfortable in a program like this. Janavi lived in China from 2009-2013, completing fourth through eighth grades in Shanghai. While living there, she attended an international school during fourth grade — where she interacted with students from around the world — and a national school during fifth through eighth grade where she had the opportunity to learn Mandarin and about Chinese culture. During his time in Saudi Arabia, Rami met a lot of people from different countries and was immersed in an international academic environment. Afterwards, he and his family moved to Lebanon where they currently reside.

Despite spending years in various international education settings, Rami and Janavi found B&C to be unlike any of their previous experiences. “I thought the course would be like being back in school in Saudi Arabia. But it was not entirely like that. There’s active team building efforts and you have to actively interpret each other’s cultures. Beforehand, I did not know this would be the case. We had to integrate culture into how we work,” said Rami, who is majoring in business with a concentration in business information and decision systems.

The B&C program focuses on how culture influences a community, society, and business, as well as increasing participants’ cultural intelligence. The program has attracted students from diverse backgrounds who come to the program with their own distinct views about culture. Rami and Janavi both joined the B&C program this past spring semester where they connected virtually with students from Egypt, Lebanon, Libya and the U.S., working on cross-cultural teams and on an international consulting project.

Janavi was attracted to the course because it offered a chance for hands-on learning about doing business across cultures. “I did not expect to be working with people from the Middle East and North Africa region directly. It definitely opened up my eyes to this region of the world as I knew very little beforehand,” said Janavi, a dual major in business and political science, with minors in entrepreneurship and economics.

B&C uses a comprehensive curriculum centered on virtual exchange to prepare students to succeed in an international career. The program encompasses eight virtual sessions, team-building exercises, activities designed to develop cultural intelligence, international guest speakers talking about real-life business practices in their home countries, and a team-based, international consulting project. Their participation in the course impacted Janavi and Rami personally, academically, and professionally.

Wanting to get back to her international roots, Janavi want to start studying Mandarin again. She also feels committed to keeping in touch with her Middle East and North African (MENA) peers from B&C and to exploring the region more. She is now looking into study abroad options and considering pursuing a master’s degree abroad. Down the road, she can see herself working in Egypt. Whatever path she ultimately takes, one thing has become clear to her: “I definitely want to live internationally more as I grow up,” she said.

For Rami the course has motivated him to explore new cultures and given him the lens to do so. “I realized after taking this course how culture plays an even bigger role in society than I previously thought. Thanks to B&C, I am more open to international exchange programs and have more motivation to pursue one, perhaps through an Erasmus program,” he said.

Impacts such as these are encouraging. Even in the middle of a pandemic, virtual exchange programs like B&C can make participants more open to considering other academic and professional plans related to cross-cultural exchange. The international connections and cross-cultural insights forged by Business & Culture are equipping students in both the United States and the MENA region to succeed in today’s globalized world, positioning them well for both personal fulfillment and professional success.