Premier’s One World International Scholarship: Jevta Lukic

The Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society, in partnership with the Victoria Foundation, hosts a suite of international scholarships designed to support students from BC in studying abroad.

The One World International Scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 are available for students at BC public post secondary institutions who are studying or working abroad. For more information about available scholarships, please visit http://www.bcscholarship.ca.

Jevka Lukic is a student at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and received the Premier's One World International Scholarship to study in Paris. He sent us this account of his time abroad.

Study Abroad Experience at ESCP Europe in Paris

Jevta Lukica In the fall of 2011, I was very fortunate to complete an academic exchange semester at ESCP Europe in Paris, attending courses in the school’s Master in Management program. Simon Fraser University has a very unique partnership with ESCP that allows SFU undergraduate students to complete courses at ESCP’s top ranking Master in Management program.

Before the study abroad experience, I knew that I was about to embark on an exceptional experience, however, I was not able to fully imagine the magnitude of learning, exploration, and personal development that the experience would bring. My time in Paris was an exceptional period of my life during which I challenged myself to adapt to different cultures and lifestyles, pushed myself out of my comfort zone, met friends and colleagues from all corners of the world, expanded my international business knowledge, learned from the leading experts in the business field, and had a tremendous amount of fun while doing all this! It was an unforgettable experience and one that will have lasting impacts on my life.

Internationalizing My Perspective

The distinctive opportunity of a study abroad semester is the ability to fully immerse oneself in a foreign culture. While short-term travel and vacations allow an individual to experience foreign customs and observe new lifestyles, a study abroad semester truly allows an individual to understand the underlying values, beliefs, and attitudes of the society in question. This is precisely the opportunity that I had as I spent four months living, breathing, and understanding the French culture. It is this opportunity, I believe, that has taught me and further developed my ability to adapt to new situations quickly, to accept differences without frustration, to learn from different perspectives, and to approach diversity with a beautiful sense of curiosity and acceptance.

This great learning process and globalization of my character is due to a number of reasons, including interaction with the local citizens and their lifestyles, international friends and colleagues, and learning with professors from both France and abroad. Every single day in France I was provided with a situation in which I had to quickly think on my feet and figure out a culturally sensitive and appropriate action. My senses always had to be fully aware of the differences around me and I had to react properly and quickly. Every morning when I arrived to school, my classrooms were filled with students from Europe, North America, Asia, and South America. It was a brilliant experience to joke around about the differences in our accents one minute, and then seriously and deeply discuss the economical and cultural states of the different countries the next minute. Every second of my time abroad, pushed me to question, learn, and expand my horizon. I not only learned about the intricacies of different cultures, but I also learned about my own capabilities and traits as well. It was always incredibly exhilarating to continually open my mind to numerous different ways of thinking and behaving. While our world feels so small and connected due to technology, it is still so large and so diverse. It’s beautiful! I hope to bring such characteristics of thinking and behaving to my every day life in Canada and to my future career in business.

Advancing My Educational and Career Goals

My study abroad experience has had significant impacts on my future educational and career goals. It has always been my dream to combine my knowledge of international business with my experiences abroad and pursue a career in social enterprise. I hope to work internationally to research, identify, and implement business models and innovative aid to help poor communities become sustainable. Ultimately, I hope to develop and implement innovative market-based solutions to social issues in the world. By studying in Paris, I was given the opportunity to learn at a world-class European institution that has strong networks across the world. I completed courses taught by leading researchers and industry experts in the field of marketing strategy, brand management, philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and European commerce and economy. These studies have opened my eyes to both European and international perspectives to conducting business as our classroom environments were very multicultural. In addition, I was able to build strong connections with professors and future colleagues throughout the world. Along with my team, I had even placed in the finals for an internal brand management competition presented to Campbell soup brand managers! Such experiences have greatly aided my preparation and training for a career in international business.

Premier’s One World Scholarship Support

Jetva Lukic All of these experiences of personal, educational, and career developments would not have been possible without the tremendously generous support from the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society. With the incredibly high costs of living abroad in Paris, I had almost decided to not pursue the exchange. All my worries were lifted when I was notified of the support I would be receiving from the Society. This scholarship allowed me to not worry about the operational costs of living abroad, and to focus on soaking up every moment of my time in Europe. This award allowed me to focus on the cultural exchanges, my educational pursuits, and my local life in Paris. Equally as important, the scholarship has not left me with immense debt following my study abroad semester. This has a tremendous impact on my life currently as it allows me to focus on my academics, volunteer efforts, and plans as I transition from university to a career. The scholarship has not only given me the gift of personal development, but has played an immense role in setting me on the right path of my future career. I am endlessly thankful for this opportunity and generous support of the Society.