A Place of Great Adventure and Change

Ben Gullickson recently spent six months studying abroad in China, a country where he found great adventure and change. How did this experience change his IPS and his plans for after graduation?

About Me

One of the reasons I found my way from Spokane, Washington to Williamsburg, Virginia was to play for the Tribe tennis team. However, the reasons I've stayed are constantly piling up.  Knowing nothing of this school prior to enrolling, I've spent the past three years navigating through William & Mary by trial and error, but mostly error.  It's normal for me to just go with things and see where they take me. I enjoy having a little flexibility in my future and the many plot twists and unforeseen turns that come with it.

My Individual Program of Study (IPS) came together rather by accident, through a series of events that took place during the summer of my sophomore year.  Having studied both Japanese and Chinese for two years, I knew that I wanted to study abroad. I applied for an internship at the Canon headquarters in Tokyo, and as a backup I applied for the W&M summer program in Beijing. 

Time went by and as I heard less and less from the internship in Tokyo, I was discovering more and more about the program in Beijing. This led me to apply for the semester study abroad program, in case the internship fell through. Unfortunately the internship didn't work out, but the ensuing six months turned out to be one of the defining moments of my academic career and had an indelible impact on my life as well.

This experience has led to my personal interest in China and deepened my resolve to be involved in this emerging country, a place of great adventure and change.  I feel that for me personally, the best and most effective way of getting involved is through the business sector.  Thus, I decided to double major in Finance and Chinese, making my IPS a product of both my past experiences and my future aspirations.

Impact & Engagement

Whenever I am not in class or eating the best cereal and cold sandwiches dining services has to offer, I like to involve myself in a mix of organizations.  Not only did I join the tennis team, but I got involved with the William & Mary Symphony Orchestra, Seventh Grade Sketch Comedy, Peer Advisors and the Conversation Partner Program.  Through each of these outlets I am able to express my passion for music, my ability to make a fool of myself, my interest in mentoring new students, and learning about foreign cultures, respectively. Together they help me to lead a balanced life while here at school, and help me to remember that there is more to school (and life) than studying. 

Highlights

My trips to the Undergraduate Business Program Office have definitely been a highlight for me. Granted my visits were due to some sort of frantic scheduling problem, inability to take a certain class I needed or other random inquiries, but I always received fantastic guidance and advice. The people in that office have not only made my transition into and through the business school a relatively easy process but a surprisingly pleasant one as well.  They also have really good candy.

Next Steps

While my time on the East Coast has been an amazing experience, the preponderance of sweaters and boat shoes has been surprisingly alarming and made me reconsider moving back to the West Coast.  That and the fact that whenever I say I'm from Washington, it's automatically assumed I hail from Washington, D.C.  I mean, really, isn't it easier to say D.C.? No matter where I end up, I'm hoping to find a position that will appeal to my many interests and to work in an environment with people who are open-minded and hard-working. Eventually, I would also like to return to and work in China.