Bridging Cultures

In MGT 4305 – Principled Leadership, the capstone course for management majors, students are challenged and equipped with insights, experiences and tools needed to serve as principled leaders in a global work environment. Specifically, students clarify their values, increase ethical awareness and enhance ethical decision-making skills needed to act virtuously as servant leaders in a global context with confidence. One way professors support this effort is by prioritizing a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) component in the classroom each semester.

One example of this was the Global Learning Exchange in partnership with Compassion International. During the 2023-2024 semesters, 287 management students across sections of classes taught by Associate Professor of Management Matt Quade, PhD, and Clinical Associate Professor Rachel Woods, were paired with university students in Kenya, many of whom also study business and leadership. 

“It’s easy to learn about other cultures through theory such as by reading or watching videos, but there is something invaluable about hearing it directly,” said a Management student.

Baylor students interacted with their Global Learning Partners from Kenya over a period of four weeks during the semester about topics such as culture, ethics and what it looks like to live out leadership virtues such as justice, hope and temperance in practical ways. Additionally, students participated in live interactive sessions online. 

“It definitely made me think more globally and recognize myself as a member of the world at large, not just Baylor, Texas or even the United States,” said a participating Management student.

While students explored their differences, they also discovered they had many things in common with their new friends. Some of the goals for this experience included growing in appreciation for others, making fewer assumptions and seeking understanding as students grow in confidence and preparedness to serve as principled leaders in a global work environment. 

“It made me realize that even though people may live across the globe from each other and have different cultures,” said a Management student. “We are more alike than we think.” 

Beginning in the fall semester of 2024, Quade and Woods both launched new COIL projects – Quade with a partner in Brazil and Woods with a partner in the Philippines.