Culture, Experience, and Discovery – Semester in China: Photogallery

Each year Trinity students travel the globe to complete a semester of coursework overseas through one of the College’s semester abroad programs.

Sam Mahtani ’10 spent his last semester in China, before returning to graduate in May and accepting a new position as the marketing and media associate in the College’s marketing and communications department.

Mahtani traveled with a group of college students to Xiamen, China, where he studied at Xiamen University and lived in the international dorms. The first six weeks of his semester were spent studying the Chinese culture, history, language, and business and economics. At the conclusion of the semester, he was placed in a three and half week internship.

“China was amazing,” Mahtani said. “I learned how business can cross cultures, and how different cultures handle business and interact with each other. I learned how business really works, from the person in charge down to the factory worker.”

Mahtani put his skills and knowledge to work at NewSound, a hearing aid company that designs, manufactures, and tests top of the line hearing aids. Working with the company’s marketing department, Mahtani proofed flyers, brochures, and marketing materials. He was also given the opportunity to create his own work in the form of a flyer for NewSound.

“I was able to learn how marketing is different between cultures and to understand the huge effect that culture has on business,” Mahtani said.

Mahtani also researched competitors’ products and technology and worked as a bridge between cultures, correcting and editing the company’s use of English on software and products.

The semester wasn’t all work and no play, though. Students were given incredible travel opportunities as they toured China, visiting everything from a small farm in the mountains to the Terra Cotta Warriors and the Great Wall of China in Beijing.

His travels and experiences throughout China also served as a great way to fuel a talent. “I have been taking photos for the past four years,” said Mahtani. “What started as taking photos for fun, turned into more of a passion for photography.”

His passion and artistic eye have not gone unnoticed. Photographs from his semester in China have been chosen to be featured in the Trinity 2011 calendar.