All About the Marshall Transfer International Exchange (TIE) Program
by Kayla Bowens ‘25
Before coming to USC, I knew I wanted to travel abroad during college, whether that be a personal trip, a semester abroad, or an internship. About half way through the fall semester of sophomore year, my transfer advisor notified me of the TIE program. I was definitely hesitant at first and did not know what to expect, but I decided to attend the info session to see what it was all about.
The TIE program is reserved for upperclassmen who transferred into Marshall or Levanthal from other institutions. It focuses on providing students with a global mindset through hands-on learning experiences and developing the skills necessary to succeed in business transactions across borders. To apply, you have to submit an essay, be an eligible transfer student, and send an updated copy of your resume. The program costs $3,650 for travel and hotel accommodations, which are all handled by the school, but scholarships are available. If accepted into the program, you enroll in a 2 unit class taking place in the spring semester on Fridays from 10:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m. The highlight of this program is the week long experiential trip to a selected location at the end of the semester. The location changes every year, but it is announced in advance at the info session and posted online before the applications are due.
During class time, my cohort learned about the history of Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia, that year’s program destination, and decided which landmarks to prioritize on the trip. Aside from discussing trip logistics, we also worked on a consulting project for various companies based in our trip’s location. For the duration of the semester, my group worked on a project for a Finnish company called Kide Science, which focuses on playful inquiry learning for children between 3-8 years old through online training in STEM subjects. They were aiming to broaden their business scope to the United States, and, more specifically, Los Angeles. My group and I gathered insight from various LA schools to learn if an app like this would fit into their budget and curriculum, and we turned our findings into a slide deck to present to the company while in Finland. This was a unique opportunity and a great resume builder.
We landed in Helsinki in the morning, so our first day there was our time to explore and get settled before launching into the work we’d come to do. The rest of the trip has highly structured, complete with a 6 a.m. wake up call.
We toured the city, visited to eight different companies including Fazer, ZOAN, Nokia, e-Estonia, Cleveron, CybExer Technologies, and two educational institutions, the University of Helsinki and Aalto University. At these companies, we learned about their business practices, toured their sites, and were able to ask questions. This proved to be a very useful networking opportunity. We also got to have some fun and went to the Loyly Sauna by the Baltic Sea. Then we took a three hour ferry ride to our next destination, Tallinn, Estonia. For the few days we spent in Estonia, aside from a couple group lunches, we were able to explore on our own.
Overall, I made unforgettable memories from this trip and had the chance to travel to a country I would never have visited otherwise. It was an all encompassing experience filled with learning, eye opening adventures, and bonding experiences. If you’re a transfer student who is thinking about traveling abroad or looking for a fun time, consider enrolling in the TIE program!
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