SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — Penn State students enrolled in "MGMT 345: Cultural Intelligence in Leadership and Management" recently toured Hydro’s Cressona facility as part of their coursework ahead of an embedded international travel experience to Denmark and Sweden. The course, taught by Gina Whalen, associate teaching professor at Penn State Schuylkill and BS in Business Inter Campus (BSBIC) program director at Penn State World Campus, is designed to help students develop cultural competence in leadership and management, will culminate in a week-long immersive learning opportunity in Tønder, Copenhagen and Malmö during spring break.
The visit to Hydro Cressona, one of the largest extrusion facilities of its kind, provided students with first-hand insight into the company’s operations, leadership strategies and sustainability initiatives. This experience set the stage for their upcoming tours of Hydro’s extrusion and precision tubing plants in Tønder, Denmark, where they will compare business practices across international locations.
“I found this tour very interesting, especially seeing the balance between employees on the floor and robots operating the machinery. What stood out to me was how the employees acknowledged the vice president as we walked through the plant. It showed that he is a present and engaged leader, well-known by his team,” said Jessica Snyder, business administration student at Penn State World Campus. “I'm excited to compare this to our tour in Denmark.”
An international perspective on leadership
From March 8 to March 15, students will travel from Philadelphia to Copenhagen, where they will engage in a variety of cultural and professional experiences. Joining the students abroad, alongside Whalen, will be Ron Kelly, assistant teaching professor and program coordinator of criminal justice at Penn State Schuylkill, who also serves as the co-lead for the trip. The trip includes a welcome dinner featuring traditional Danish cuisine, leadership discussions at Hydro’s Denmark operations, and cultural excursions such as a canal boat tour of Copenhagen and a day trip to Malmö, Sweden.
Through these experiences, students can examine how national culture influences workplace environments, leadership styles, communication and operational strategies. Hydro, a leading aluminum and renewable energy company with 32,000 employees across 40 countries, provides a unique opportunity to observe how a multinational corporation adapts to local customs while maintaining its global identity.
“In Denmark, we’ll be paying close attention to Hydro’s sustainability initiatives, as the country is known for its strong environmental policies,” Whalen said. “It’s an invaluable opportunity for students to compare and contrast sustainability efforts across different regions.”
Building cultural competence
Prior to their departure, students engaged in coursework designed to enhance their cultural awareness, knowledge and skills. The cultural competence model, which emphasizes recognizing biases, understanding cultural norms and developing effective communication strategies, serves as a foundation for their international experience. Pre-trip meetings and introductory video assignments helped students prepare for the immersive learning ahead.
“The ability to navigate cultural differences is an essential leadership skill in today’s global economy,” Whalen said. “This course is helping the students build that ability through real-world experiences.”
A growing legacy of international learning
"MGMT 345" is an evolution of previous special topics courses that have taken Schuylkill students to Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. This marks the first year that the program has been offered as an official part of the curriculum following an extensive review and approval process. This year is also the first year that business students from Penn State World Campus have taken the course and participated in the embedded travel opportunity.
The course continues to grow in scope and impact, with 20 students from six states — Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, Florida, Texas and Arizona — participating this year. Two students from Penn State Schuylkill will document the experience in real-time through a social media takeover on Penn State Schuylkill’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and one student will complete an honors project based on their learning. Penn State World Campus will also share students’ photos and videos on its Instagram account.
For updates on the students' experiences, follow along on Instagram at @pennstatesl and @pennstateworldcampus and Facebook at @PennStateSchuylkill.
