CoBE students travel to Spain 

In the spring of 2018, 10 Coastal Carolina University students traveled to Spain for a weeklong spring break trip as part of CCU’s study abroad program. This trip was different than others, as it was also attended by student associates from the Community and Business Engagement (CoBE) Institute, a student-led business consulting practicum in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration, that led a consulting project specifically focused on this trip.

During the Spain visit, specifically while visiting Barcelona, the CoBE Associates met with and delivered an in-depth consulting project to AvaLaw, a Spanish legal firm specializing in investment and commercial law for international companies seeking to do business in Spain. As part of the project, seven associates worked throughout the 2017-2018 school year to research U.S. market entry opportunities and develop a professional business proposal and presentation. During the visit, the team- and other students who were a part of the study abroad program- met with the senior management of the law firm as well as influential Catalonian community leaders to share and discuss their findings.

"The CoBE Associates were really committed to the project, and they did great research,” stated Raisa Venermo, AvaLaw partner and founder. "They worked systematically and the conclusions were well-grounded. They gave us tangible ideas to improve our marketing, and we will definitely utilize and implement their proposals on our marketing strategy.”

"The successful completion of an international undergraduate consulting project had copious benefits to all facets of CCU,” said Jessie Dumas, CoBE associate director and one of the students largely responsible for launching this ongoing initiative. "Those positive benefits included international exposure and reputation, increasing the credibility of the CoBE Institute's services, and the individual wealth of knowledge and experience each of our students received, as well as the added bonus of another unique bullet point on their resumes.”

In addition to the AvaLaw visit, the students had the opportunity met and led discussions with the members of the U.S. Embassy's Economic and Commercial section and the Avis-Budget European Headquarters in Barcelona. Of course, it was not all business, for students also visited the Royal Palace and Prado Museum in Madrid and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona.

For more information about the CoBE Institute, visit www.coastal.edu/cobe.