London Capstone Experience

Each year, Global Commerce seniors have the opportunity to travel to London, England — the financial capital of the world and a city recognized for openness, global connections, and a culture of collaboration. They spend several incredibly busy days in London, visiting high-level executives from numerous companies and institutions and learning from business and non-profit leaders about the roles they play in commerce and society, both within London and in the global economy.

London is home to the largest global financial, foreign exchange, and commodity markets in the world. It is also a vibrant multicultural city: one-third of all Londoners are foreign-born, and over 200 languages are spoken throughout its streets and neighborhoods, making it an ideal setting for students to experience the many facets of global commerce in action. The London Capstone gives students extraordinary access to executives from a range of companies and institutions. They also connect with multiple Denison alumni from a wide array of industries and professions who live and work in London.

Students gain knowledge and understanding of transnational corporations and international business environments, and they gain experience that further prepares them for professional interview situations.

Dynamic program outcomes include:

• A cultivated support network of global alumni
• Firm contacts for career insight and mentorship
• Introduction to numerous executives and human resource professionals at large multinational companies
• Concrete examples of the value of a liberal arts education and many possible career paths across a variety of industries
• A beyond-Denison exercise in professionalism
• The opportunity to navigate an international city

A prestigious group of participating companies and organizations includes:

Bank of England Museum • Berne Union • BMI Group/Standard Industries • BPL Global • British American Business Council • Citigroup • Edelman • Eli Lilly & Company • European Bank for Development & Reconstruction • Experian • EY • Institute of Business Ethics • Lloyd’s of London • London Business School • Macfarlanes • Marsh • OpCapita • Rakuten Marketing • S.W. Mitchell Capital • TCA Limited • U.S. Embassy

Enlightening student experiences:

• A two-hour lunchtime visit with a CEO overseeing a major international expansion through mergers and acquisitions which allowed students to consider how messaging around M&As can differ across levels of management and provided a deep-dive into the mission of this roofing materials manufacturing firm.
• Time with two senior brokers from BPL Global who explained how political risk insurance and political violence insurance work and highlighted the ways that GC majors’ global understanding and analytical and communication skills would apply well to this industry.
• A visit to the Lloyd’s of London market floor with two political risk insurance brokers to learn about the culture of Lloyd’s in a short time and provided context for understanding the different roles that insurance underwriters and insurance brokers play.
• Meetings with the Vice President of Human Resources, client development managers, and a senior recruiter at Rakuten Marketing provided students with insight into digital marketing topics and allowed students to discuss the construction of corporate culture within a multinational organization.

Dedicated time for sightseeing and cultural exploration gives students the opportunity to experience:

• Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace
• The history of the Tower of London
• Sights, sounds, and smells of Camden Lock Market – over 1000 shops & stalls selling fashion, music, food and more
• Stories of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts involving Britain since the First World War at the Imperial War Museum
• The beauty of St Paul’s Cathedral
• Winter walks through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park

Financial assistance is available for those who qualify. For more information contact Jane Palmer.