For my STEP Signature Project, I participated in the Fisher Global Consulting Corporate program located in Madrid, Spain, where I spent three weeks of May working as a consultant for a corporate company. I traveled and stayed with fourteen other Ohio State students throughout the three weeks, as we lived in apartment-style accommodations and immersed ourselves in the Spanish culture.
This experience abroad provided me with the opportunity to not only develop my professional business skills but also promote my personal growth and confidence. Before embarking on this trip, I was nervous to work in a corporate environment since this was my first real-world business opportunity, and I heavily doubted my ability to succeed due to my lack of experience. I was also nervous to be living and traveling with an entirely new group of people I had never met before, as we navigate a foreign country. When I compare these uneasy feelings from beforehand to the amazing experience I had, I realize I have been selling myself short in my own abilities. This experience pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me understand that I am capable of more than I think, and that I should be more confident in myself both professionally and personally.
My consulting team consisted of three other Fisher business students, and we were assigned to work for the global commercial real estate company CBRE. We were tasked with completing GAP analyses for two of CBRE’s commercial assets, which would initiate their LEED certification processes. I had no knowledge about ESG and sustainability in the real estate industry before starting this project, and I doubted my ability to add any true value as a consultant because of this. But, my team and I quickly picked up on the processes with the guidance of our advisor, and we familiarized ourselves with the standards and criteria of LEED certification to be able to complete our analyses. Although the task was foreign and intimidating for me at first, our team presented a successful final presentation and received great feedback for our work. This success helped me recognize some valuable skills I possess that had not been clear to me before, which boosted my overall professional confidence and encourages me to further strengthen my skills for future professional challenges.
The program consisted of fourteen other Fisher College of Business students who I lived and traveled with, three of them being on my consulting team that I also worked with. I was nervous about signing up for an experience abroad where I didn’t know anyone, especially since we would be navigating through a new country that we weren’t familiar with. After initially meeting everyone in Madrid at the start of the trip, our group became close as we spent so much together. We got to explore the sights of Madrid, eat at countless local restaurants, and even took a group trip to Barcelona for the weekend. I’m grateful for all of the new friendships I made throughout these three weeks, and I feel that in the future, I would now have more confidence going into experiences like this without knowing anyone.
By the end of my time in Madrid, the city became a place that felt like another home. At first, living and working in a foreign place was overwhelming and intimidating because of the language barrier, cultural differences, and being far from home. But the more time I spent exploring and immersing myself in the Spanish culture, I discovered a true sense of belonging in Madrid that grew a profound appreciation for the city. Through this, I not only embraced and strengthened my independence from the comforts of home but also learned to adapt to a new culture and form a new sense of home in an unfamiliar environment.
I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to work and live abroad because it broadened my self-perception and confidence in both my professional and personal life. In the past, I struggled with self-doubt as I continually questioned my own skills and ability to contribute value to various things. Overall, participating in this program helped me to realize that I am capable of greater things than my mind anticipates, and I proved this to myself through my successes and accomplishments throughout this experience. Having a greater understanding of my skills and capabilities, I feel more confident in my future professional and personal endeavors.
