FINAL SUMMER REFLECTIONS

Regina Abrami, Global Program Director, writes,

By the fourth week of July, we found ourselves again on a plane and in a different world: London.  The city was buzzing with excitement over the pending birth of who we know now as Prince George Alexander Louis.   Staying just minutes from the Tower of London and royal crown jewels – many of which found their way from India, Africa, and elsewhere – betrayed the legacies of an earlier era, when globalization seemed mostly a South-North flow.  Today, it is the “north” (advanced industrial states) that now are in the race as South-South trade and capital flows explode, and not the least owing to the rise of China.

London afforded us not only time to reflect on our summer sojourn, but also to meet with alumni and Lauder Institute advisors.  We were fortunate to share a breakfast with Lady Barbara S. Thomas Judge, a founding member of the Lauder Institute’s Board of Governors, who offered both wisdom and kindness to our group.   Thomas Egerman also took time from his busy schedule to tell us a bit about his career – and his own immersion some years back in the U.S.!   A special word of thanks especially goes to Tony Davis (and the ever-able Claire Hillyer) for organizing a dinner event where students were able to meet with earlier generations of Lauder students who – at times with great humor – imparted tales of career development and best practice perspectives that allowed each of us to bring home a precious souvenir.