12/18/13 – This guest post is written by the GSSE office student administrative assistant, undergraduate student Olga Gladkova. Since working for GSSE, Olga has discovered a shared passion and will be studying abroad in Brazil as a first step towards a future career in international business.

Now, leaving in 4 days to Brazil, I look back at the past five months as my best months in college. As I began to work for the Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise MBA program, (GSSE) in the College of Business at CSU, I became very excited about what’s next in line for me. By working for the GSSE office, I became interested in applying for their MBA program. As I learned more about the program, I realized that it’s so closely related with what I want to do in life and I didn’t even know a program like this existed. GSSE is geared towards creating future leaders who make conscientious decisions about the businesses that are being established and work towards creating social and sustainable enterprises. The students in the GSSE program learn how to apply the classroom knowledge by creating ventures in underdeveloped countries. I think this is a great part of the program, because it provides a hands on experience to the students.

Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul – the largest city in southern Brazil

As I plan for my future, I know that international experience makes a GSSE MBA candidate stronger, as they are able to work and think critically within the international realm and understand the different business initiatives that other countries may need. So my desire to become a GSSE student is leading me on an adventure of a lifetime – to volunteer and study abroad in southern Brazil. I will not only study at the Santa Catarina University in Florianopolis and immerse myself in Brazilian culture, but I will also volunteer for the organization called Social Inclusion Project for Vila Chocolatão in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. This project helps create housing for the slums in the inner city and creates jobs for the unemployed that are inclusive and focus on social justice.  Through working for GSSE, I have learned that business doesn’t always have to be at the cost of others, instead it can be created with social justice and sustainability in mind. Sustainable enterprise is not something we hear a lot about in our everyday lives, but it is something I got to know about in the past five months and want to continue learning about and create one day.

Florianopolis, Santa Catarina – the city of 40+ beaches

It has absolutely amazed me that the GSSE program gives their students the tools necessary to be successful entrepreneurs, building businesses that focus on the people and environment instead of profit maximization. I’m ecstatic about my trip to Brazil and my future involvement with GSSE both as an employee, and hopefully someday as a student.