This spring break, University of Chicago students had the chance to venture outside the classroom and country to explore career paths and share their research with a global audience.
UChicago undergraduates Angela Joo and Sonia Bradley participated in distinct trips to London and South Africa. They set forth with the goal of expanding their horizons—as well as their options after graduation—by sharing their own work and exploring their respective fields through in-depth meetings with industry professionals.
Discovering finance pathways in London
For Joo, a second-year College student majoring in economics and philosophy, participating in an international career trek to London meant an opportunity to explore new corners of the finance sector.
“What I really enjoyed about the trip was the fact that we were able to pick professionals’ brains on their different investment philosophies,” Joo explained. While on the trek, she and about 25 other students learned about a wide range of specializations by visiting firms working in real estate, private equity, asset management and emerging markets.
“It was very interesting to hear their thoughts on the European market, the London market, and how their companies react to different politics and the economy of the U.S. and the U.K. at the same time,” Joo reflected.
As an undergraduate still weighing different career paths, Joo appreciated the high-level view of the world of finance, especially the possibilities beyond what is considered strictly mainstream.
“What was really valuable for me and other people trying to get into finance was seeing how the professionals we met ended up in the European market and how this could be a potential path for us,” she explained. “I haven't had the chance to explore that many different routes into finance being a second-year, but going on this trek, I realized just how many routes into finance there actually are.”
Although she grew up near London, Joo was set on working in the U.S. after graduation. However, “seeing what happens in London and the routes that I can potentially take” has her considering locating to the U.K. or Europe one day, she explained.
Now back on campus, Joo is excited to take her newfound international perspective and apply it to her studies as she continues to discover her interests in the field.
Exploring global policy in Cape Town
Second-year Bradley traveled to South Africa on a trek to learn about careers in policy work, human rights law and more.
“I'm really interested in different policy jobs, including non-profit and NGO work, which were going to be central to this trip,” said Bradley, who is majoring in human rights and English. Over the course of their five-day trek to Cape Town, Bradley and others interested in public policy attended presentations and workshops to learn from policy leaders with focuses ranging from gender-based violence to climate change and economic development.
While on the trek, students learned about issues facing South Africa that help shape policy. Bradley said it was particularly interesting to learn about “the context of policy-making in South Africa and some of the different barriers that are faced in a post-apartheid country, such as wealth inequality resulting in a focus on development.”
In addition to visits with professionals, the Cape Town trek also explored the University of the Western Cape’s Center for Excellence in Food Security. This part of the trip, Bradley explained, “gave us a look at academic opportunities to either get a graduate degree in policy and development research or to work in a research think tank.”
For Bradley, the trip had a significant impact on her understanding of global policy as well as her ideas regarding future career paths.
“Being there, meeting the people who work at these organizations, and seeing the communities that they live and work in was super eye-opening,” she said. “This trek gave me a lot of important perspective on how policy work is so different across the world and how there's a lot more opportunities than are typically advertised to us as students.”
Editor’s note: This story is part of Dispatches from Abroad, a series highlighting UChicago community members who are researching, studying and working around the world. The full original article can be found by visiting UChicago News.