Leadership Institute Visits Switzerland
The Leadership Institute at the College took its first trip abroad in May, visiting Geneva, Switzerland. Ten students, all leadership certificate candidates, embraced the theme “Leaders Across Borders” and met extraordinary people during the 10-day trip—senior executives and officials from the World Trade Organization, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Caterpillar Corporation, Alcoa, and the International Federation of the Red Cross, among others.
“We heard about the impact of culture on leadership and how these individuals practice leadership in multicultural settings—from working with colleagues in other countries to leading multicultural teams,” explains David Wold (US’79, C’84), director of the Leadership Institute. “Our students can play important roles in a world where greater cultural awareness is essential to effective leadership.”
During a visit to the headquarters of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an international nongovernmental organization working on conservation and environmental research, students met individuals in key positions and learned about the importance of setting clear objectives. “We also met the assistant general counsel at Beckman Coulter and learned about the company culture and innovative business model,” says senior Marshall McCurties. “She gave us great insight into the legal side of the company and the ethics and principles she upholds each day.”
While visiting the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, students spoke with the head of the Africa Branch, who oversees all United Nations human rights activities in Africa. “We learned about the process of accommodating six languages in UN meetings—English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, and Chinese,” says senior Becky Skala. “We also enjoyed seeing the conference room in the Human Rights offices, which features a beautiful ceiling made to look like an ocean. It appears differently depending on the light, signifying that while people have the right to be different, they must manage to share the organization and the planet, and find consensus.”
The group didn’t spend all their time in conference rooms, though. They took full advantage of having traveled to the heart of the Alps. One day they crossed the border into France, rode a gondola on Mont Salève, and hiked through forests with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains and towering Mont Blanc. Another day they took a boat ride on Lake Geneva. They also attended the Christian Science church in Geneva and enjoyed visiting with the members. Throughout the trip, they sampled delicious food, with pain au chocolat and gelato among their favorites.