Why You Should Go On Eurotech

10/28/2011

The deadline to apply (Nov. 15) is fast approaching. Don't miss it.

Last year was the first year we (31 students and 3 fantastic chaperones) flew to Europe to learn about how some of the biggest and most successful organizations in the world use information technology in their business.

My name is Gwynnie Frey and I am a second-year graduate student at the iSchool. I had a wonderful experience participating in Eurotech 2011 and I want to tell you why you shouldn't let your opportunity to go in 2012 slip away. Eurotech is open to both Undergrads and Grads, it's a 3-credit course, and it's AWESOME.

This is a picture of me and the whole Eurotech crew crossing the bridge over the Thames in London.

Reasons Not to Miss Eurotech 2012

1. The companies we visit are awesome.

The range of companies we visited was incredibly diverse, but by the end of the trip there were a lot of common threads between the approaches they take towards IT. All of them see their use of technology to manage their products, services and processes as absolutely essential to their business and they were all so excited to meet us. We met with high-ranking executives on major information projects who were delighted that we were as excited about what they are doing as they are.

Students experience a multimedia presentation at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.

2. The people on the trip are going to be your friends for life.

Picture yourself riding on a tour bus with 35 other people. Everyone is asleep. Why? Because They all just had the most awesome experience in Paris the night before (taking a cruise on the Seine, eating a fancy dinner in the Eiffel tower, riding the Metro until the wee hours of the morning) and tomorrow they all plan to go swimming in lake Geneva. Doing a whirlwind tour of some of the most exciting places in Europe causes intense and irrevocable group bonding.

Dan Littlepage takes a nap on our cozy bus.

3. The food is an experience.

No matter your taste (or budget), Europe has some delicious eats. My personal favorite, purely from an experience standpoint, were the Schnitzel, cabbage, dumplings, and home-brewed beer of Bavaria.

The entire class enjoyed night of food and festivities at a private party in the Hofbrauhaus in Munich, Germany.

4. The free time is plentiful.

There are a lot of scheduled group activities during the trip, but there is also time for you to get out on your own and explore. What you see is up to you! If you are less comfortable with venturing out on your own in a strange city, there are optional group tagalongs to some of the favorite destinations in places where we visit.

Anne Marie Suchanek, Gwynnie Frey and Alex Fingerhut, out in the City of Lights after a special dinner in the Eiffel Tower.

5. Eurotech is a 3-credit course.

Think about it. You could take a semester-long class to earn those pesky elective credits… OR you could have an awesome time in Europe for two weeks, and STILL earn 3 credits. Your call.

So REMEMBER:

The deadline to apply to Eurotech 2012 is November 15^th!

Get-eurotech.syr.edu