From Wharton to the World: My First Venture into Asia
By: Vicky Vo, Nursing & Wharton ’26
After our class meeting on April 24, here’s a snapshot with one of my classmates!
PGS: Exploring the Business Environment in China, Wharton International Program
Vicky, one of the PGS Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during the Spring 2024 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.
Having traveled abroad only once before—a spring break trip to Chile with the Wharton Leadership Venture Program—the prospect of visiting Asia for the first time fills me with excitement. Nevertheless, the preparation phase is proving a bit stressful. I attended a class meeting on April 24 to discuss expectations and finalize my visa, and suddenly, after my finals, it was time to pack. I quickly realized that organizing my belongings, which I had mostly packed up before returning home in early May, was going to be a challenge due to the tight schedule. Concerned about where to store them during the 10-day trip to China before moving back to campus for my summer internship and research, I thankfully managed to arrange a solution with a nearby friend, sparing me the cost of storage.
Next, let me talk about why I chose this Penn Global Seminar. In my application, I described my vision of integrating my passion for healthcare with finance and social advocacy to make a meaningful impact globally, particularly in healthcare administration. This program’s focus on the business environment in China appealed to me because it provides insight into the dynamics that shape business operations within and beyond China—a key player in the global marketplace. Understanding these dynamics is invaluable, especially as I aim to navigate the complexities of international business in healthcare.
Also, China’s economy, characterized by rapid growth and global influence, fascinates me. Its robust business environment offers a unique perspective on the intersection of finance and healthcare. As China’s healthcare system undergoes transformative changes, this program offers a crucial vantage point for understanding international challenges and opportunities in healthcare administration.
Before traveling, I’ll have two three-hour classes: one on May 15 and another on May 16. After the classes, I’ll head to the airport on May 16 at 7:30 PM. It’s a quick turnaround, but I’m always ready for a challenge—I thrive under a bit of pressure.
In those classes, I’ll work in groups of three to prepare an assessment of the corporate strategy for one of the many companies we’ll be visiting in China, and present our findings in class. The presentations need to include key background information on the company, its current challenges, and potential questions to ask during our meetings. We’re encouraged to approach this as consultants pitching for work, utilizing frameworks from our management classes, such as Porter’s Five Forces, VRIO/resource analysis, value chain analysis, CAGE distance framework, competitor analysis, and non-market strategy analysis. The presentations will be graded on content and delivery separately. I personally think that my professor would hammer us on delivery because it’s assessed based on categories developed by the Wharton Communications Program, which include audience and purpose, structure, persuasive elements, and the three Vs of delivery: Vocal, Verbal, and Visual. Additionally, we’ll have a quiz on a 40-page Harvard Business School case study and watch a documentary about the Silicon Valley of Hardware.
In China, we’ll be very busy. Like I mean very busy (my Apple calendar is jam-packed). There is a carefully crafted itinerary that includes a mix of academic and cultural experiences, as well as several site visits to successful businesses and organizations. Looking at the schedule at first was a little overwhelming because we would have no time to sleep or rest, but that’s so Penn-coded. On our first day, we’d travel to the Great Wall and National Olympic Center. Next, we’d travel to Tsinghua University and visit their labs, then conduct business visits with clients, such as JD.com. Then, we’d do the same the next day but with different clients. Then, on Wednesday, we’d fly to Shenzhen, visit some clients, and then fly to Zhongshan the next day to do more business visits. Overall, we’d conduct seven business client visits, have several networking dinners, and have a couple of cultural visits before we flew home. Our days would start at 6:45 AM, which is when I would start my nursing clinicals and end later in the PMs. Nonetheless, I’m thrilled at the thought of being able to experience all of this, I can barely stay grounded thinking about it!
I’m still exhausted and recovering from the rigor of my spring semester (I don’t think I’ll recover anytime soon), but I’m so excited to go on this trip, in this class, with my classmates and professor. It’s an honor to be accepted into this course, and I’m ecstatic to have this opportunity. Sleep will come later, but for now, it’s time to lock in. Wharton encourages us to “make connections between your academic program at Wharton and your experience abroad,” and that’s exactly what I’ll do and more.
Penn Global Seminars combine intensive semester-long study with a short-term travel component that deepens your understanding of concepts discussed in the classroom. Courses options are available for Penn undergraduate students across majors and years.