"Having the opportunity to go on the Switzerland study abroad has changed my life. I learned to see the world in a much broader perspective both in my personal life as well as in design. The experiences and friendships I acquired there are priceless. It has been the richest experience in my life to-date." –Pam Wicken
I loved Switzerland with every piece of me! It was so refreshing and eye-opening to live in a different country for a month. It broadened my views immensely, not only toward design but also toward other people. The places we went and activities we did were perfect to teach us the different elements of design thinking, in a way we never could have learned them here. I learned how to be flexible and more easy going, and also to be more respectful to different cultures and lifestyles. Learning how to communicate with others when I don't speak their language was also a great experience to have. I loved seeing how different design and architecture is in Europe. It definitely sparked my brain to think about design in a different way. I also realized that the concept of human-centeredness is incredibly broad, but also incredibly narrow. All humans have the same basic needs that can be met by a product, but coming up with a design that could appeal to all humans is more difficult. Again, these are concepts that would have been much more difficult to learn here in Logan. Going to Switzerland to study design thinking was a once in a lifetime experience, probably one of the best I'll ever have. –Katie Steed
Going to Switzerland was an opportunity that I hadn't planned on, but has changed my perspective on my career and on my life. Being surrounded by students who spend their days creating and innovating was a stark difference from my normal classroom experience. My skills based on analysis and past trends became a hurdle as I became engaged in group projects and discussion. I was forced to think "outside of the box," a concept I thought I had mastered. Working with such a diverse group of students gave me a unique opportunity to learn from their strengths and experiences. The more I tried to get to know everyone else on the trip, the more I came to know yself. After traveling with 40 people who have come to be some of my closest friends, I have an increased ability to empathize with people of various backgrounds and professions. Most of all, my eyes have been opened to not only the great opportunities a good career can present you, but more importantly the opportunities a good life can present you. –Chance Murray
When I went to the information meeting back in January, I knew I absolutely had to go. Bob had said that this would be a transformational, life-changing experience. I thought he was probably exaggerating. I couldn't have been more pleased to be proven wrong. I learned so much while I was in Switzerland. People always ask me what I learned and the frustrating thing is that it was the experience and the intangibles that taught me so much. I can't fully describe what I learned and the intensity of what I learned. When I got back to Boise this summer, I worked on some marketing stuff for my dad's new company. As it got closer and closer to time for me to leave, we realized he would need to pull in some extra help because I couldn't do it all on my own. We had a meeting with a company in Boise called The Agency. At the meeting there was a marketer and a graphic designer. I felt totally at ease. It made sense to me now. The great and horrible thing about being stuck in my college is that I know how people there work. We all think the same way and the professors all teach the same way. It makes it easy to work with people for classes and my learning curve is pretty steep where the professors are concerned, but it's such a narrow mindset. The days of class in Logan before we went to Switzerland were honestly a little overwhelming to me. It was so different than anything I was used to. The students (the vast majority anyway) did not think the same way I did and didn't work the same way I did. The teaching style was so different than what I was used to. That month we were in Switzerland totally changed my perspective. I learned how to look at things totally differently. I know how to work with people who think of the world in a totally different light than me. I feel like I've got a huge edge on my peers because they don't have that experience and knowledge that I gained from this program. –Carlie Pennington