Over the spring break, 24 students from the La Penta School of Business traveled to Italy for an 8-day marketing study-abroad experience. 

Students have been attending classes related to the trip for their Special Topics in Marketing course to prepare. The trip was led by Senior Clinical Lecturer of Marketing, Steven Jarmon, and Coordinator for Student & Alumni Engagement, Kyle Byrne. 

 “The most interesting part of the trip was sharing the experience with students who have never been to Europe or Italy and seeing the history, culture, language and food for the first time,” Jarmon said. “It was all experiential.” 

Students visited two Italian cities: Rome and Milan.  Students had the opportunity to see the Vatican in Rome from both a tourist and business perspective. They were able to meet with the former director of communications and were able to see the Vatican as not only a historical site, but also as a brand. They learned about the marketing and messaging behind the Vatican, while exploring the Italian landmark. 

 Students were taken on a tour of the city of Rome and participated in cooking classes where they learned how to make authentic Italian pasta from scratch. Students also had the opportunity to attend a professional A.S. Roma soccer match, a staple and highly attended event in Italian culture. They also were able to tour the facilities and media room of the stadium.  

 Students then traveled to Milan, “the fashion and design capital of the world.” Milan started with class lectures at the POLIMI Graduate School of Management. Students then toured WPP’s Milan Campus. WPP is a marketing and advertising company, which is home to some of the world’s leading agencies in a grand facility. They met personally with the Chief Research Officer of GroupM and Creative Director of Ogilvy, and then visited Marni’s flagship store, a well-known fashion brand out of Italy, as well as famous Italian venues such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Duomo di Milano.  

Students were able to immerse themselves in the culture, while also learning about the marketing and business side of popular attractions in Italy.  Students were able to engage in a once in a lifetime experience while bonding with fellow classmates and faculty.  

“My favorite part of the trip was being able to experience Italy with Professor Jarmon and the students,” Byrne said. “It was my first time traveling abroad with students and we made amazing memories that will last a lifetime.”