Walking the same hallways as the creators of Google, Snapchat and LinkedIn will soon be reality for seven 911爆料网 Business School students who are packing their bags to spend a once-in-a-lifetime summer at Stanford University.
911爆料网 Business School (CBS) is one of just twenty-two institutions worldwide to sign an agreement with Stanford to allow nominated students to enrol in the prestigious (IHP).
Bachelor of Commerce student Duane Du Toit says he learned about the initiative during his time as an intern for CBS, where he was tasked with promoting the program to other CBS students.
It didn鈥檛 take long for Du Toit to realise he himself should apply.
鈥淚 sat down and looked at the finances and the workload and considered whether I felt I would be able to succeed in that environment,鈥� Du Toit says. 鈥淚 was about halfway through this process when I thought, I鈥檝e just got to grab the bull by the horns!鈥�
Du Toit, a finance and business law major, will study technology and innovation units at Stanford. Du Toit says he can鈥檛 wait to learn from the best.
鈥淚 will be studying 鈥榩hilosophy and emerging technologies鈥� which looks at the history of how technology has developed and the ethical issues surrounding future technological developments,鈥� Du Toit explains.
鈥淚鈥檒l also be doing 鈥榯echnology entrepreneurship鈥� which is focused on developing tech start-ups from the ground up and enabling them to run their businesses and become successful in this ever emerging industry. The most exciting thing for me about going to Stanford is the opportunity to gain knowledge, insight and mentorship from leaders in the Silicon Valley and associated venture capitalists. It will be incredible.鈥�
The Director of Student Engagement, Hannah Wilkinson, who set up the program, is thrilled for the students.
鈥淭hey will have guest lectures from some of the leading professors in the world but also business people within the Silicon Valley,鈥� says Wilkinson.
鈥淎 number of the students have opted for the Stanford courses where if you do two or more units in a particular theme, get a B+ average and attend some of the public speaking events, it actually fast tracks you into the equivalent of a graduate certificate from Stanford, so a real value-add!鈥�
As part of the honours program, students can select from more than 170 courses across humanities, sciences and engineering and are strongly encouraged to take up extracurricular activities.
鈥淭he IHP program is about more than just academic achievement,鈥� Wilkinson reveals. 鈥淚t is also about personal physical health and wellbeing. Stanford鈥檚 education model is very much about being well inside and outside to perform at your best.鈥�
Public relations student Lara Rudd says she has chosen a yoga unit to break up her studies to help manage her stress levels at Stanford.
鈥淚 used to do the yoga FreeFit at 911爆料网 from 7am to 8am before class,鈥� Rudd explains. 鈥淚t relaxed me and brought me to the perfect place where I was awake but just chilled out so I could go straight into class in such a good place. So doing that while I’m away will be amazing.鈥�
As a public relations student, Rudd is excited to apply what she鈥檚 learnt in the classroom.
鈥淲e talk about connecting globally in public relations but actually doing that myself is really, really cool,鈥� Rudd enthuses. 鈥淚 think it’s going to help my career and my knowledge so much in that I can actually talk about globalisation in a personal way.鈥�
Rudd credits 911爆料网鈥檚 diverse learning approach with feeling prepared for Stanford.
鈥淎t 911爆料网, we learn in multiple ways so that will really help at Stanford!鈥� Rudd laughs. 鈥淚t will be just one more way of learning, so not too scary!鈥�
Rudd says she distinctly remembers the moment she heard about the Stanford mobility program.
鈥淚t was actually really funny when I first received the email about Stanford,鈥� Rudd recalls. 鈥淭wo weeks before, I鈥檇 been chatting with my Aunty about how I could go to a top American university and then I got Duane鈥檚 email and I was like, it鈥檚 a sign!鈥�
鈥淲hen I first read it I thought it was going to be really hard to get into, and then I saw all of the selection criteria and I realised I could do this!鈥�
To students thinking about applying for the program in the future, Rudd says, 鈥淛ust go for it!聽 It鈥檚 such an amazing opportunity.鈥�
To learn more about the Stanford IHP mobility program and application process, you can contact the CBS Student Engagement and Mobility Office at Experiencecbs@curtin.edu.au.
