Alumni Interview with Alex DoQuang

Alex DoQuang '15
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland
Member of Global Communities from 2011-13 and GCSA Treasurer 2012-13

Global Communities: What did you do for your Global Experience and how did you select the program?

Alex DoQuang: I participated in a short-term abroad program to the United Arab Emirates for my Global Experience. During my first semester at the University of Maryland, I was taking a class called “Why Good Managers Make Bad Decisions.” This was my first course that exposed me to business in academics and from there on I knew that this is what I wanted to study in college. My professor that taught the course happened to coordinate a global immersion program to the U.A.E. I found Dubai and Abu Dhabi to be extremely intriguing locations in the business world and gained interest to visit. I figured that I probably wouldn’t be traveling to Dubai or Abu Dhabi anytime soon on my own, so I decided to take advantage of this learning experience.

GC: Describe a typical day on your study abroad program.

AD: A typical day in the program was an intense itinerary of company visits and educational or cultural activities. In under 5 working days, we were able to hit close to 15 organizations that include Nakheel, DP World, National Marine Dredging Company, Dubai International Finance Center, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Emirates Palace, Jumeriah Group, Farah Leisure, Masdar, Cleveland Clinic, Emirates Aviation College, Centre for Cultural Understanding. The company presentations gave insight into how each company worked on a micro- and macro-economic level. We also, of course, visited a great deal of tourist attractions.

GC: What surprised you the most about the program and/or location?

AG: Although I read and heard about the mixture of culture in Dubai, this was still a shock to me when I first arrived. It amazed me how there was such a jumble of Western things in a Middle Eastern background and setting. This was the first time I could fully see the influence of Western culture across the world. Seeing a “Texas Roadhouse” restaurant halfway across the world in the Middle East was shocking.

GC: Tell us about your student teaching experience on other Smith programs.

AG: Over the past two years I have served as a Teaching Assistant on three global immersion programs (United Arab Emirates, Australia, and Southeast Asia). I have participated heavily in the planning and execution of the short-term programs. This boils down to responsibilities such as coordinating a full itinerary of company and cultural visits, coordinating on-site transportation, group budgeting, communicating at odd hours to account for time differences, working with language barriers, responding to student emergencies in a foreign country. Although it has been hard at times to manage my school workload and program planning, I have been extremely grateful for these opportunities. They’ve truly been invaluable to both my education and personal development.

GC: How has your experience in GC influenced your academic and/or career goals? What “lessons” can students use (e.g. becoming familiar with people from different cultures, etc).

AG: Global Communities has greatly impacted my goals in the sense that I aim to have a career that will have a positive impact on society. The insights that I gained on global issues and topics inspired me to always think about ways to create a positive influence, whether it is small or large.

A lesson I could share with students would be to stay updated on the news. Having knowledge about current events, not only in the U.S but also internationally, adds an immense value to your education, insights, and way of thinking.