Name: Justice Mapp
Major: Marketing with a concentration in Sales
Minor: Sociollogy and Non-Profit Organizations
Graduation Date: May 2023
Interview
What types of international experiences / involvement do you have as a student at App State?
I have studied abroad twice as a part of Walker College of Businesses faculty-led trips to Cuba (Spring 2023) and France (Summer 2022).
Did your time abroad give you a new perspective on yourself and your own culture/country? In what way?
Both of these trips reinforced to me that American culture is very fast paced in all aspects of life and that has in return made me become a very fast paced person. It feels like I have to constantly be on the go, doing things and making progress. One of the biggest things I took back with me is to remember to stop and take in the beauty around you, which I now constantly find myself doing. I also learned that having compassion and empathy to the people around you can get people a little closer to world peace.
What would you say to students considering studying international business or, even if they’re a different business major, taking the opportunity to study abroad?
If you have the opportunity to, please do study abroad. These are once in a lifetime opportunities to see and learn about the world. These trips are convenient because they are through well planned and vetted programs and you will never have the opportunity to do these things at these price points. If you are financially insecure as I am, there are plenty of opportunities to apply for financial aid. Tourism is banned to Cuba so not a lot of people have been able to experience that country, but I was able to because I took advantage of this opportunity like you should!
What was the most challenging aspect of studying abroad? What was the most rewarding part?
The most challenging aspect is navigating a foreign country when you are not fluent in the language they speak. I tried to learn as much French and Spanish as possible before my trips and I highly recommend learning basic phrases in that language. The most rewarding part of studying abroad is getting to fully immerse yourself in another culture and see from different perspectives.
Anything else you might want to share?
I truly appreciate the faculty that make these trips possible and successful!