Adventures in sustainability: Students expand their horizons in India

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—College is not just a time to increase your knowledge and prepare for your future career, it is also a time to broaden your horizons and learn about the world.

For a group of 18 Western Michigan University students, their recent Sustainability in India study abroad trip provided them with a unique opportunity to see how businesses can think beyond their profit margins for the greater good of their communities. 

Led by Dr. Tim Palmer, professor of management and director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices, and Dr. Louann Bierlein Palmer, professor of educational leadership, the group was hosted by the Haworth College of Business’ partner school, Christ University in Bangalore, India. 

A unique feature of the trip was the “Indian buddies” program where Western students were paired with a student from Christ University. After each day’s programming was complete, the students would get together to go to dinner, shopping or just spend time talking.

Senior Jarred Stewart from Otsego, Michigan, made a special connection with his Indian buddy. “My assigned buddy was Sherin, and I was surprised by how well we hit it off,” he says. “We spent all of our free time together during the 12 days I was there. The way that she introduced me to the culture made such an impact on me, and I’m already thinking about how I can get back to spend more time in India.” 

The goal for the trip was to immerse students in another culture and help them learn about business goals that go beyond the bottom line.

“The main purpose of this trip was to instill in students the idea that the sole purpose of business is not only to make a profit,” says Palmer. “While firms must make a profit, they also provide jobs, lift communities out of poverty, increase literacy, improve public health and seek sustainable solutions.” 

During the two-week trip, students were able to make site visits to several Fortune 500 corporations and talk with their sustainability teams to see how they are making progress toward both corporate and countrywide initiatives. 

Alexa Hempel, a junior from Macomb, Michigan who is double majoring in environmental and sustainability studies and marketing, was struck by the efforts for social good that she witnessed. “I was incredibly surprised to see how much both companies and the government in India are doing to support sustainability,” she says. “For one, the country banned single use plastics recently—a bold initiative with impactful results. As for the companies, it seemed that everyone we heard from had powerful protocols in place for waste management, water recycling and reduced packaging.” 

Besides the exposure to sustainable business practices, students were able to meet with several nonprofit groups who are making significant impacts among India’s marginalized populations. 

One of the group’s excursions was to the Parikrma Humanity Foundation, which is a school that provides education to children in slum communities, as well as holistic services to their families in nutrition, counseling and more. Students were able to meet the foundation’s founder, Shukla Bose, who left a corporate job to work with Mother Theresa and then founded Parikrma to give back to her community—a real-life example of a business leader using her skills and talents to directly impact people. 

Ashley Hare from Grand Rapids, Michigan, B.B.A.’22, had the unique experience of graduating while she was on the trip—a wonderful ending to her time at WMU Haworth, she says. “My expectations for this trip were completely exceeded,” Hare says. “The extensive amount of information on best practices, the opportunities to meet with incredible businesses and the overall cultural experience was so much more than I ever thought possible.” 

Exposure to India’s culture, food and people was an especially memorable part of this adventure, as well. Hempel says, “I loved being able to get to know the people in Bangalore, especially the students at Christ University. Getting to know these kind, amazing people really helped me experience their culture in a more meaningful way than a typical tourist.” 

Palmer sums up the trip with this reflection, “My hope is always that students gain a greater appreciation for the potential role of business to make society stronger. I will have succeeded when students recognize the tradeoff between profit maximization and humanity.” 

Students echoed Palmer’s sentiment and reflected on what this trip will mean to them throughout their lives. Hare says, “I haven’t stopped talking about this trip since I’ve been home! The entire adventure stretched me, enhanced my critical thinking skills and gave me a new appreciation for how much you can learn when you step outside your comfort zone.” 

Plans are in the works for additional trips to India and beyond, including a new trip to Portugal, giving WMU students increased opportunities to not only grow their business knowledge, but to expand their personal experiences in ways that allow them to reimagine their relationship to the world. Learn more about business-specific study abroad trips.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.