Two Walton College M.B.A. Students Intern in Durban, South Africa

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Alexander Kieslich and Qiaofeng Jason Wu, two students in the Master of Business Administration program in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, were selected to participate in the Future Leaders Summer Internship Programme conducted by Mr. Price Group, a company in Durban, South Africa.

As part of the programme, Alexander and Jason will be exposed to all areas of Mr. Price’s business, and this program has been tailored to the students’ career interests and capabilities. Tailoring the program to the student’s interests and experiences will determine how much time is spent in each area of the business, and what business projects or research assignments students are exposed to during their time in South Africa.

Mr. Price Group hired Alexander and Qiaofeng, because they are M.B.A. students who are passionate about retail. The interns are interested in learning about the retail industry, particularly within an emerging market. Mr. Price Group sought interns who are ‘solution orientated,’ and can focus on developing and implementing solutions over and above simply identifying areas for improvement. Mr. Price Group’s business culture requires people to be adaptive and flexible, and to be calm under pressure. It is a casual but high-performance-orientated environment and hence requires people who can think differently and can collaborate in order to improve efficiencies. Last, Mr. Price Group wanted M.B.A. student interns who can engage with people at all different levels and who will embrace this opportunity and leave a lasting impression with all those they interacted with.

The leadership team at Mr. Price Group plans on exposing Alexander and Qiaofeng to different cultural experiences in South Africa. The students will learn what it is like to live and work in South Africa, and the group will participate in various sightseeing events.

These internships were arranged through a group partnership between the Walton College Career Center, the Global Engagement Office and the Center for Retailing Excellence.

To read Alexander Kieslich’s blog about his South African internship experience, please visit waltonmbainafrica.blogspot.com.