#KelleyBIG2016 – Participant Reflection for Week 2

BIG 2016 concluded last weekend—here’s what one staff member thought of Week 2

July 27, 2016

Posted by BIG Program Assistant Heather Francis and edited by IIB Program Manager Emily Bagienski

Lot’s of Selfies at #KelleyBIG2016 Culture Night!

Week two of BIG 2016 started with a bang as the students participated in Culture Night and had free time over the weekend to get to know one another on a personal level. The weekend ended with a campus-wide scavenger hunt and bowling, leading into a full week of Swahili and Turkish classes. The students seemed to enjoy both languages, especially Turkish, as the lessons included ideas and concepts applicable to their interests. The students helped cook and taste various dishes traditionally served in East Africa while also having the opportunity to try on traditional clothing and learn about music and the art of dance in these two regions. Each of these hands-on lessons made an impact on the students’ understanding of how these cultures differ from their own as they prepared for their presentations.

#KelleyBIG2016 Team Building

Evenings (when we weren’t out trying to “catch ‘em all” with Pokemon Go) were spent working on team presentations, researching cultures and business customs for their assigned city of interest. In two short weeks, the students learned a lot about the importance of team cohesion, the delegation of tasks, consulting experts, and time management while preparing for their final projects.

Congrats to all our #KelleyBIG2016 participants!

The day for the final presentations arrived all too quickly and was both exciting and nerve-wracking for most students. Each of them dressed their best with the hope of impressing the judges with their knowledge of culture and with an innovative idea for a business in one of the three regions we studied. Judges did not hold back their questions and asked for in-depth details regarding the students’ businesses. However, each team handled these questions like true experts in the field. Finally, at the Awards Ceremony, the students were presented with feedback from the judges and participation certificates. When it was time to say their final goodbyes, many of the students cried while others gave hugs and took their final photos together. As they were leaving, many students told us that their participation in BIG was life-changing, and they were all grateful for the opportunity to be a part of BIG 2016.

Stay tuned for updates about #KelleyBIG2017 on IIB blog, Twitter (@KelleyIIB & @IU_CIBE R), and Facebook!