Entrevista en Laspau News

El 27.7.10 a las 10:36 hs por Gabriel Foglia

Interview with Fulbright Alumnus and Dean of the Universidad de Palermo (UP) School of Economics, Gabriel Foglia

LASPAU recently interviewed Universidad de Palermo School of Economics Dean Gabriel Foglia, an alumnus of a LASPAU-administered Fulbright-Universidad de Palermo grant from Argentina. He shared with us some of his insights and experiences from his time as a Fulbright grantee from Argentina studying in the United States.

Dates of the Fulbright Scholarship: 1998 - 1999
Host Institution: Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)

Degree: MBA

Q: How was your overall experience with the Fulbright program?

Foglia: Very positive. I come from rural Argentina and I never thought I could study in the US. It was a dream for me to come to the United States and it was amazing that I was able to have the opportunity.

Q: What did you study and what led you to choose this field?

Foglia: Business Administration. The reason for choosing this field of study was that I wanted to obtain a broader perspective about business in order to complement my previous background in

Marketing. In addition, I wanted to understand how businesses are run at a global level.

Q: What was the major benefit of the Fulbright scholarship for you?

Foglia: At both the professional and personal levels the experience was fantastic. It totally changed my view of the world (I come from a very small town in Argentina) and broadened my horizons. I think that it made me a better professional and a more balanced person. I was also able to develop a personal network that gets stronger as time goes on.

Q: What impact has Fulbright had on your career?

Foglia: I believe the scholarship and the opportunity to study in the United States gives students the advantage not only in professional preparation (in what you learn), the exposure to others and the network you can build…but on a personal level it is a self-learning process, the challenges to understand a different culture, to meet people from other countries, to experience different situations, to leave your “comfort zone”, to explore new things. It is very good for these two reasons (professional and personal). I believe the Fulbright experience is a richer experience than simply studying abroad. You also increase your network in your home country. In my case, I am now in Higher Education. This experience helped me carry out my responsibilities of transmitting my knowledge in society.

Q: How was your experience working with LASPAU?

Foglia: Sonia Wallenberg, my advisor, was very nice and helpful throughout the process. Almost 10 years after the scholarship, while studying at Harvard, I stopped by her office in Massachusetts and finally had the chance to meet her in person. I could finally thank her for the help and support.

Q: What advice would you give to current Fulbrighters?

Do not hesitate and try to experience as many things as you can (I spent the Thanksgiving holiday with a rural family in Illinois and it was memorable). This happens once in a lifetime, so it is important to balance both the academic and personal experiences.

The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by LASPAU: Academic and Professional Programs for the Americas. For more information see www.laspau.harvard.edu/fulbright