By Hunter Kelley
Senior Hunter Kelley, an international business and management major, experienced both studying and working abroad this summer in France. The Lincoln, Nebraska, native leads the Student Ethics Board as president, and serves as a peer career coach in the Business Career Center and a student coordinator for Nebraska Business Global Immersion programs.
This summer I headed across the pond to France for my first trip outside of the U.S. or Mexico. On the first day, I had the unique experience of being on a 10-hour layover in central London when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were getting married.
Once I arrived in France, I did quite a bit of exploring and tried to get acclimated to the country. However, I knew very little French, so in my spare time I practiced and tried using it. Disclaimer: This didn’t always go as planned.
Hunter Kelley gives a thumbs up, posing with colleagues from Geo Sentinel in France.
While there, I took a global brand management class through the Institute for American Universities in France and also two online classes in finance and international business through Nebraska. Adding a new educational component, I interned 25-30 hours a week at Geo Sentinel, which specializes in making smart watches to track and store vitals by GPS. Their technology helps Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Equipped with an SOS system, the watches track a patient’s location and other medical information using the Geo Sentinel App. I loved working there as the group dynamic was high-energy and inclusive.
My main project during the eight-weeks was helping Geo Sentinel prepare for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. A world-renowned technology show, CES highlights cutting-edge products in the technology industry. My boss invited me to join them at CES this January and I am also in the process of helping them classify their product as a health care device, making sure it follows FCC guidelines and drafting an export plan.
This global experience forced me to learn how to find a balance. I experienced working abroad and know I want to work for a company with global outreach someday. My class in France was an amazing and my professors at Nebraska provided advice and help when needed. It’s another testament to how Nebraska Business can take you where you want to go.