Global Classrooms

It has only been one week, but students have seen and done so much! Students have been learning the fundamentals of entrepreneurship in their classes each morning, and have started to work on their projects as well: developing a business proposal. The lessons taught and discussed in class have come to life for students in the site visits and activities in both Berlin and Hamburg.

This past week in Berlin, students visited two successful local businesses that also have a social initiative. On Wednesday, students visited Kreuzberger Himmel, a Syrian restaurant founded and run by refugees. Not only does this restaurant employ refugees, but they work with the "Be An Angel" association to support refugees travel and adjust to Berlin. As the students heard about Kreuzberger Himmel and the association, they learned that the success of a business lies in both their mission and the support of their surrounding community.

Students again witnessed how a strong mission can enable a business to expand when they visited Farmly Place, an urban farming initiative located in Berlin. Similar to the restaurant, this business has a social initiative and commitment to the community. This farm uses hydroponic technology and sustainable practices to grow vegetables for the local community. Further, Farmly Place has an educational leg of their mission, welcoming school groups located in Berlin and the surrounding areas to their physical location and offering virtual learning opportunities for more distant learners. 

Following these exciting few days learning about more recent business ventures, students visited the port city of Hamburg which exposed them to one more cornerstone of a growing economy. Students took a walking tour on Saturday afternoon, learning about both the historical and current economic environment within Hamburg and Germany at large. Sunday morning gave students an additional look at the logistics of trade and globalization, as they traveled by boat throughout Hamburg coming face to face with cargo ships full of shipping containers.

After this week, students have picked up plenty of ideas to incorporate into their own business projects. In just two weeks we will see how much they have learned and their entrepreneurial talent!