11 SDG 5 Gender Equality – Croke Fairchild Duarte Beres

Individual Reflections

Pranay: My overall experience was great. COIL was a great experience as I got to meet people from all around the world and connect with them. It was amazing to see people in different parts of the world working on the same course and common goal. I’ve learned a lot about people and optimizing communication. I also learned a lot from the law firm we interviewed about what it takes to be successful and it was great to hear their perspective on managing hundreds of people efficiently.
One of the key things that stuck out to me in the interview was the common experience they all had of having to sacrifice time with their families and leisure time to ensure their goals of running a successful law firm. This was inspiring to hear as almost all successful people and businesses had a period in their lives where they were dedicated to their craft and all the sacrifices they had made, were worthwhile when they reached their goal. This showed me the importance of working hard and realizing that nothing worthwhile comes without sacrifice. Having initiatives like this is important to recognize when businesses are working towards a greater ideal like gender equality and reducing inequalities, in the case of Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres. This experience also helped me enhance my planning and organization skills as we were all in 3 different timezones and finding the best time to meet was a hurdle we had to jump over. Hearing about the perspectives and day-to-day lives of people around the world elevates your knowledge of the world and helps appreciate other people and their cultures.

Sebastian: My overall experience was a great one. There were many aspects that came to this assignment/project besides the actual assignment itself. I am very grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such an open and communicative group. I can definitely say that I learned so much coming out of this project, about the societal environment in Canada and Kenya, being from the United States. Not to mention I learned so much from Management principles.
Like all things in life nothing is perfect, there were some challenges that came up like trying to stay according to schedule and actually schedule a meeting with all the partners at the law firm. Fortunately, We were able to solve any negative encounter simply by sending a couple of WhatsApp messages. I wasn’t too sure how I was going to do on the project going into the COIL assignment because I prefer to do projects by myself, but after our first meeting I was definitely satisfied with my group and reassured. Thank you to all the professors that organized
the COIL assignments, this was an amazing experience and I am eternally grateful to have been part of it.

Robert: People are a great commodity to have and I think this project and COIL itself has elevated that belief. Humans need more interaction with each other because we have strength in numbers. There are parts of us that want to stay inside and do nothing but also parts of us that want to go out and explore, network, meet, and talk with new people that may or may not have something important or interesting to say. The way different students operate and speak in Kenya, and Chicago (my group) has altered my perception that people aren’t inherently the same, everybody moves and talks a different way and is influenced heavily by their environment, which was an interesting thing to see.
The firm we interviewed was great, they had a lot to say and gave fantastic answers. It was interesting to see the hesitancy on the questions of “work-life” balance because we all know that stuff barely exists in the actual working environment. Everything is strict and organized and in order to be in a position like them you need that competence.

Samantha: My overall first time COIL experience went great. I am honored to have been able to experience this form of learning for the first time. It was pleasant to be able to connect and share ideas amongst people from different places of the world. I’ve also learned how to communicate effectively across different time zones which was a rocky start but once we got over that hurdle it went smoothly. It was interesting to see the different kinds of businesses my group members brought for their initial ideas since we not only come from different places of the world we also have different course needs so it was a clear indication of what is important where they come from. It also taught me that everyone communicates differently not only literally but also with gestures and the speed of their words.
Spending the last five weeks working collaboratively with these students taught me that when we unite and work together we can work to achieve our goals and outcomes in better ways. CFDB (the firm that we interviewed) was amazing. They were all well spoken and were able to further explain their answers beyond what we thought we meant. All in all I enjoyed my time with this project and my group and I can see myself reaching out to these peers in the future.

Justine: My experience of participating in the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project with students from different continents enhanced my intercultural competence, communication skills, and academic knowledge. I communicated with my group members through email, Zoom, and Google Meet. The project was significant because it exposed me to different perspectives and cultures, and challenged me to work in a diverse and virtual team. I learned a lot from my group members, who shared their insights, experiences, and resources on the topic. I faced some challenges, such as time differences, and technical issues, but I overcame them by being respectful, flexible, and proactive.
The project helped me develop my intercultural competence, communication skills, and academic knowledge. I learned how to appreciate and respect different cultures, how to communicate effectively and collaboratively in a virtual environment, and how to conduct a review on the UN sustainable development goals to be making sure I’m making the world a better place. I will use these skills and knowledge in my future studies, work, and personal life, as they are essential for living and working in a globalized world.
The COIL project was a valuable and rewarding experience that enhanced my intercultural competence, communication skills, and academic knowledge. I enjoyed working with my group members from different continents and learned a lot from them. I think COIL is a great way to internationalize the curriculum and prepare students for the global world.