Corina Gogan from Romania (MBA 2012)
on the Outdoor Teambuilding Forum Day:
“This is going to be the best year of your lives!” said Dean Schoorman during orientation week. And indeed the start of this module announced nothing less. The team-building day was the kick that everybody needed to come together and work for a common goal: to make this the best year of our lives. The challenges we confronted that day made our blood run fast, our brains think better, and our hearts feel alike. Whether it was climbing a 4m stack of Coca-Cola boxes, sitting in hanging tires or driving stick & rope cars around a course, we were all functioning as a team. This will definitely be the experience we will all remember as the builder and binder of the MBA 2012 class.”

Auromita Bhadra from India (MBA 2011)
on her exchange to Purdue:
“Krannnert was quite a different experience as compared to GISMA. The whole MBA class was a lot bigger and it was a new setup. The experience of studying in an American University was unique. The electives were interesting and, although hectic, the module was fun. I sneaked in a few travel plans during the module and looked around Indiana as well as some of the popular US cities. I also made a lot of new connections with the students at Krannert. Although I missed GISMA during the 2.5 months, this exchange program was really worth taking. I learned a lot and enjoyed myself thoroughly.”

Mrudula Chukkapalli from India (MBA 2011)
on her exchange to Paris:
“The Paris exchange program was one of the best experiences of studying at GISMA.  It provided an opportunity to meet students from Purdue in a totally unique setting. Visits to the Louis Vuitton and the Champagne region, and the sightseeing experiences on the way were thrilling. Case studies done as part of the program gave an interesting perspective on dealing with intercultural diversity in marketing. Paris is a beautiful city which can only be experienced through your eyes and I will promise you will love the awesome wine and cheese as much as the city itself.”

Shaun Waymire from the U.S. (MBA 2011)
on his internship in the “Silicon Valley” of India:
“The internship at TVS Motor Company in India allowed me to fully experience GISMA’s greatest strength: a strong international business education. I witnessed various ways in which Indian culture deeply impacted attitudes towards business and work life, which is advantageous should I work for a company that relocates me to India or assigns me to a project connected to India. Moreover, the internship was a practical business learning opportunity as well. While the internship is mentally and physically straining, the rewards far outweigh the minor inconveniences and I highly recommend all GISMAniacs to apply for this incredible learning and life experience.”

Maren Neneh Frey from the U.S. (MBA 2011)
on her experiences with a GISMA consulting project for Volkswagen:
"Our Consulting Project with Volkswagen was very exciting! I feel like we got a lot of insights into the automotive industry and into Volkswagen in particular, especially because we were never treated as "just students," but rather as equal partners. Working together in a team on this complex project and finally being able to present valuable solutions to our client made the Consulting Project an awesome experience."

Sergiy Lemeshko from Ukraine (MBA 2011)
on his experiences with a GISMA consulting project for HARTING:
"The HARTING consulting project “online shop concept development” was an excellent opportunity to test myself in working for a real business project in a big company. It gave us the opportunity to solve complicated real business development cases by applying the concepts we learned in class. My team had to deal with numerous challenges, such as lack of information and limited time for analysis, diversity of visions, necessity of understanding the new industry, etc. At the same time it was a rewarding experience due to the freedom and the sense of responsibility for the results which are going to be implemented."

Juan Miguel Munoz-Morris from the U.S. (MBA 2011)
on his experiences during the admission process:
“My experience with the admissions process at GISMA was great. I turned in my application in late June, had a phone interview with Admissions in July (while I was on vacation) and by the end of the month I had been accepted. And a month and a half after applying, I was living in Germany and going to school. For someone like me who likes things to be done fast and who hates waiting periods, this was invaluable. And it all happened because the GISMA staff was incredibly supportive, informative and professional.”

Reynard Laksmono from Indonesia (MBA 2010)
on how he benefited of GISMA’s career services:
“Based on my experiences the difference between GISMA’s Career Center and others is the fact that it provides services throughout the whole process. They not only create opportunities for you to land a job, but also – literally – take care of the whole work permit process. This support with such a bureaucratic procedure is a really big help for your future employer. And this definitely made a big difference in my case where I could start my job immediately.” 

Ali Gulsen from Turkey (MBA 2010)
on how he benefited of GISMA’s career services:                                   
“Although I have taken advantage of the Career Center’s common services throughout the MBA program, I am among those people who have benefited from it more after my graduation. The GISMA Career Center directed a couple of dedicated alumni to me to be listed for interviews. One even ended up with a job offer for a rare position at a global behemoth based in Germany.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to sign for that as I simultaneously received an offer from Volkswagen Group China which I couldn’t refuse.”   

Courtney Schwartz from the U.S. (MBA 2010)
on her experiences during the admission process:
“The admission process for me was great. Everyone I wrote to was very responsive and knowledgeable about all my inquiries. I was also very impressed with the Admissions team in that they were proactive with sending me information about numerous topics that I had not even considered as an international student. I felt very comfortable moving overseas due to the support I received before even accepting my spot in the GISMA class.” 

Harshita Wardhan from India (MBA 2010)
on her experiences with a GISMA consulting project for TUI:
"I had the opportunity to work with TUI AG during my consulting project stint. Well guided by our mentor Dr. Kfuri, my team and I had an enriching experience working on a brand strategy for TUI's new project. It was a great opportunity for us to put our marketing concepts to use. The recommendations made by our team were welcomed at the senior level of the organization and were to be enacted in the coming year."

Matthew Kesti from the U.S. (MBA 2009)
“From the outset, GISMA recognizes the extent to which military service endows leadership potential. By participating in the school’s highly intensive MBA program I was able to build upon my U.S. Army experiences and to explore new opportunities in both the military and civilian sectors.  Not only was I able to propel my career to new heights, but I was also afforded the privilege of studying alongside young professionals representing dozens of different cultures.

Amy Goker from the U.S. (MBA 2006)
on how a GISMA alumn helped her finding her new job:
“GISMA has a great alumni database which embraces the entire world. I located an alumnus who had worked for Ethicon (a Johnson & Johnson division) in Hamburg. He helped me in a great many ways, sharing company details, advice on the culture and interview situations, a full job description, information on living in Hamburg…and the list keeps on growing! I came to Germany intending to work in Hamburg for a pharmaceutical company, and through GISMA’s alumni connections I landed a job as a European Sales Training Manager!” Read more about GISMA’s alumni network