Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ

Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile

FIN 360 and FIN 680V - Undergraduate and Graduate Lubin Travel Course in International Finance
Fall 2018

About the Lubin Travel Course

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The International Finance Lubin Travel Course (FIN 360 / FIN 680V) undergraduate and graduate students traveled to Buenos Aires and Santiago in January 2019, led by Professors Aron Gottesman and Elena Goldman. The trip emphasized the differences between the Argentine and Chilean economic foci and development paths, and a great case study for students heavily considering international careers that require decision-making and on-depth knowledge. Participants attended seminars given by corporate and investment bankers, government officials, and financial executives at organizations and banking institutions such as the American Chamber of Commerce, KPMG Argentina, Unilever de Argentina, Universidad del Salvador, Banco Central de Chile, Destacame, among others. Students learned about systemic risk, global regulation, free-trade agreements, international regulatory organizations, foreign exchange, and many other topics.

Scholarships

Five Lubin students were each awarded scholarships in the amount of $2,500, made possible by a generous donation from the Gene and Nancy Celentano Fund.

Student Speak

I feel more confident to demonstrate to my future employer that I am able to adapt to different surroundings and to a different culture, and I was able to make lifetime friends while at the same time enjoying our traveling experience to South America.

Brian Giannettino '19

"My experiences in Argentina and Chile were ones I'll never forget. I'm more than happy I was afforded the opportunity to experience these places while also participating in a course. I made lasting friendships and memories that I tell people of everyday. Without this course I don't know if and when I would've visited these places and businesses. It was fun, engaging, and educating. Thanks to the scholarship I received, I'm able to highly recommend this course to future study abroad students."

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Elio Bonifaz '19

During my trip abroad, the first thing I realized was how important being able to communicate in two different languages is, not only for traveling or for living in another country, but for inside the professional-corporate world. Due to my fluency in Spanish and English, I was of immense help to our group study since I was there to translate whenever it was required. Now, I understand how studying abroad is one of the best life experiences that helps you set up for the international market. Being in a foreign country and the experience of being able to work alongside fellow classmates and Professor Gottesman was priceless, in that the knowledge gained through corporate meetings and teamwork was outstanding. Traveling to countries such as Argentina and Chile gave me a new perspective on different economic structures and society as well. The fact that I was taught by some of the most important corporate professional and government figures that work in the field of economics and finance provided me new insight into different topics. This being said, the ability to make professional connections for future business opportunities will be of great impact in my life. I cannot really express how grateful I am to have been considered for the Nancy and Gene Celentano Field Study Scholarship.

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Fariha Hossain '20

This winter break, I received the opportunity to study abroad in Argentina and Chile as a part of my International Finance course at Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ. Not only did I immerse myself in South American culture and strengthen my Spanish speaking skills, but I also learned about the contrasting emerging market economies of Argentina and Chile. On one hand, Argentina faces high inflation, volatile currency, and political instability, while Chile is seen as the economic leader in South America with the highest GDP per capita in the region. Throughout the course, I learned about the Spot FX market, cross-currency swaps, forward market hedging, currency crises, systemic risk, financial regulation, and monetary policy. I visited the American Chamber of Commerce, KPMG Argentina, Unilever Argentina, the National Bank of Argentina, Deloitte Chile, the National Bank of Chile, the State Bank of Chile, and the Chilean Stock Exchange. I am grateful for this incredible opportunity that has allowed me to expand my knowledge on LatAm economies and become more globally aware. I would like to thank Professor Aron Gottesman and Professor Elena Goldman for facilitating this course, Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ Study Abroad for organizing transportation and lodging, and the Celentano Program.

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Ruben Irizarry '19

Thank you so much for offering me the opportunity to experience one of the most rewarding trips that I have ever been on. I was able to learn more about the different cultures in both Argentina and Chile, and was able to grasp a better understanding of the business concepts from each country through each of the visits. Having this knowledge has helped me further understand why countries decide to engage in any business activity—such as Argentina acquiring a $50 billion loan from the IMF – and the different subsidies offered in each country. Learning how businesses function and the difficult cultures of each person helped me grow individually and sparked more interest in exploring the world.

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Aside from the education experience, the food in both countries was some of the best I have ever had—at one point, I was so tempted to go ahead and order another steak after I had already eaten my steak! Again, partaking in the culture from each country has made me a more dynamic person. I must recommend and urge each and every student to go on one of these trips if possible.

Stephanie Elanges '18

The opportunity to study abroad in both Argentina and Chile as a part of my International Finance course was one of the richest experiences of my Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ career. The full immersion into unfamiliar cultures in another language challenged me in unexpected ways. Meetings with top officials at financial and government institutions pushed me out of my comfort zone to ask valuable questions that I wouldn't be able to research online. The diverse group of visits enabled me to form well-rounded opinions on current events of discussion topics taking place in South America. The city tours and free time introduced me to a wealth of history and cuisine that I never want to forget. This trip opened my eyes to both large and small organizations, and similar or different challenges they face. I left feeling inspired to learn more and eager to see how brushing up on my Spanish skills will help me to return in the future.

I am incredibly grateful for this experience and the expanded worldview it allowed me. Not only did I grow impactful relationships with my classmates, but also was able to build global connections. I feel a renewed appreciation for the opportunities I have had and how they will impact my future. Without the support of the Figueroa Scholarship, none of this would have been possible. My utmost appreciation and respect to those who allowed this to be possible, thank you.

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