For second-year student, summer travels reveal diversity at home
Steve Tapley, WG'07
Issue date: 9/18/06 Section: Perspectives
- Page 1 of 2 next >
The start of this new school year reconfirmed to the one of the primary reasons I came to the Wharton School - the rich international diversity of the student body. Vice Dean Anjani Jain sent an email to the class of 2007 indicating some amazing statistics concerning the incoming class. Of the 800 first year students, "45% of the matriculated students are international (counted by citizenship) and they come from 70 different countries." There is little doubt that Wharton will continue its strong academic, professional, and social programs because of this infusion of international talent. Lest we lose sight, however, I hope our international community will experience more of the diversity of the United State than just Philadelphia or New York City. This past summer reminded me of this fact once again.
While living in Ft. Worth, Texas I saw first hand this diversity. My first insight came when I walked into the local Wal-Mart. At first, I thought I was in Quebec, Canada as I noted the sign above every aisle was written in two languages. Then I noted it wasn't French but Spanish and I thought, "now I have another opportunity to study Spanish for the Lauder program." While it is obligatory in Canada to print in two languages, this retailing giant was implementing the 5Cs and 4Ps to reach their identified customer.
Furthermore, in a country where there political element has intensified its drumbeat against immigration from Latin America, there is this other, and probably more powerful characteristic of capitalism. My trip to Wal-Mart reminded me that throughout the United States, communities and towns have their own identity based on the local population.
Two other contrasting experiences from this past summer reminded me how different Americans are one from another.
First were the cowboys I saw at the Ft. Worth stockyards at a horse cutter competition. I might as well be stepping off a plane in Beijing. The cowboys dressed in Wranglers that required a crowbar to pry into and studded, starched shirts that would crack the fabric due to any sudden movement. The competition required a team of 5 horsemen to "cut" one calf from the herd. Teams were judged on their ability to dominate, command, and maintain the lone bovine away from the herd. To me, this was akin to figure skating for people on horses.
While living in Ft. Worth, Texas I saw first hand this diversity. My first insight came when I walked into the local Wal-Mart. At first, I thought I was in Quebec, Canada as I noted the sign above every aisle was written in two languages. Then I noted it wasn't French but Spanish and I thought, "now I have another opportunity to study Spanish for the Lauder program." While it is obligatory in Canada to print in two languages, this retailing giant was implementing the 5Cs and 4Ps to reach their identified customer.
Furthermore, in a country where there political element has intensified its drumbeat against immigration from Latin America, there is this other, and probably more powerful characteristic of capitalism. My trip to Wal-Mart reminded me that throughout the United States, communities and towns have their own identity based on the local population.
Two other contrasting experiences from this past summer reminded me how different Americans are one from another.
First were the cowboys I saw at the Ft. Worth stockyards at a horse cutter competition. I might as well be stepping off a plane in Beijing. The cowboys dressed in Wranglers that required a crowbar to pry into and studded, starched shirts that would crack the fabric due to any sudden movement. The competition required a team of 5 horsemen to "cut" one calf from the herd. Teams were judged on their ability to dominate, command, and maintain the lone bovine away from the herd. To me, this was akin to figure skating for people on horses.
Be the first to comment on this story