Seventeen SFU students, two members of the SSOB faculty, and one former faculty member in the School spent spring break week in London. It marked the 17th straight year that SFU students have visited the city.
Randy Frye, Dean of the SSOB, and Business Analytics Instructor Fr. Jason Wooleyhan chaperoned the trip. They were joined by SFU Emeritus Accounting Professor Jim Logue.
The group toured the city’s Financial District as well as Lloyd’s of London, a world-famous insurance marketplace.
Students also got a taste of popular British culture while attending a soccer match.
Erin Golding, a junior Marketing major, was surprised by the similarities she observed between the United States and the United Kingdom.
“The culture shock I experienced in London did not feel that drastic,” she said.
Golding did, however, notice some differences between the two countries.
“It was smaller things, like driving on the left side of the road, or the way they say things.”
The students gained a deeper understanding of British history at Windsor Castle and the Tower of London. They also enjoyed performances on the historic West End, shows similar to those that run on Broadway in New York City.
Sadie Davison, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration, saw “Hamilton” on the West End.
“Theater has always been a very important part of my life,” she said. “I absolutely fell in love with the show, the actors and the storytelling.”
Speakers that the students heard from during the trip included Nicole Barker, Senior Director of Global Risk Management for the Mars Petcare Division; Romain Apert, Vice President of Global Technology; Matthew Page, Chief Financial Officer for High Growth Markets; Revano Hanif, Communications and Content Creator; and Sean Barker, Senior Business Analyst for Mars Petcare and a 2010 Saint Francis alumnus.
In addition to experiencing London, several students made a day-trip to Paris, France.
Jen Spacht, a sophomore double-majoring in Early Childhood Education and Spanish, was amazed by the French capital.
“I went on a boat tour of the city that allowed me to see many buildings and monuments,” she said.
The students were grateful for the opportunity to experience a week in a different culture.
Spacht hopes that other students will take advantage of the chance to see different parts of the world.
“Take advantage of every opportunity that you are given,” she said.
