Before college, Mario Morales-Iturbe had never set foot on an airplane. This summer, the Oklahoma State University senior found himself over 9,000 miles from home, conducting an international audit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

As an accounting and finance student, Morales-Iturbe spent his summer as a corporate audit intern with Halliburton. While this was his first professional internship, it was not his first time abroad.

About a year earlier, Morales-Iturbe had participated in a study abroad program in Japan through the Spears School of Business Center for Advanced Global Leadership and Engagement (CAGLE). Although he was originally nervous, the experience introduced him to international travel and made taking another opportunity feel less intimidating.

“Being able to see with your own eyes, or just breathing in the air of another place, helps you understand that the world is really big, but it’s also very connected in a way,” Morales-Iturbe said.

When he received the email from CAGLE about an internship opportunity with Halliburton, Morales-Iturbe decided to take a chance. Originally, he hadn’t pictured himself working in the energy industry, but he saw the internship as an opportunity to gain experience and step outside what was familiar.

After connecting with Halliburton representatives at two different career fairs, he landed an interview. It wasn’t previous corporate experience that set him apart, but actually his job at Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe in Stillwater, which he had held since his freshman year. After he landed the internship, Morales-Iturbe’s manager said his ability to balance late restaurant shifts with strong grades and involvement at OSU reminded her of her own experience working in restaurants as a student.

Once at Halliburton, Morales-Iturbe quickly learned that being an intern did not mean simply supporting from the sidelines. As a corporate audit intern in Houston, Texas, he worked primarily with accounting and treasury to help prepare for the audit he would later conduct in Malaysia. His responsibilities included reviewing financial records, identifying potential risks and coordinating with managers across different time zones to prepare for the international audit.

“They put us to work right away,” Morales-Iturbe said. “They treated us like we were full-time.”

For Morales-Iturbe, that meant learning much of the job as he went, working through unfamiliar tasks and relying on his managers for guidance while also learning how to figure things out on his own.

“I thought, ‘I kind of don’t know what I’m doing; I’m still learning a lot,’” he said.

As the summer progressed, Morales-Iturbe began developing a stronger understanding of the auditing process and greater confidence in his abilities. What initially felt unfamiliar became an opportunity to put his classroom knowledge into practice and prepare for the responsibilities awaiting him overseas.

That learning experience continued when he flew across the world to Kuala Lumpur to help carry out the audit they had spent the last few weeks preparing for. Suddenly, he was applying what he had learned alongside employees with years of experience. But the trip became much more than learning how to conduct an audit.

After working alongside people from around the world, Morales-Iturbe gained a new perspective on how people can still share many of the same values, despite vastly different backgrounds.

“We can be very different people,” Morales-Iturbe said.“We can come from very different backgrounds, but at a base level, we’re so much alike.”

He connected and found similarities in the people he worked with, even while adjusting to cultural differences and how business operated in a different country. After experiencing those differences firsthand, Morales-Iturbe learned something he could not have gained from a classroom alone.

The experience also opened another door for Morales-Iturbe, who received an offer to return to Halliburton in a full-time position after graduation.

For someone who had never been on an airplane before college, each experience abroad has made the next one feel more possible.

“I did it one time,” Morales-Iturbe said.“Then it made the next time easier, and I’m sure it’ll make the next time easier, too.”

CAGLE coordinates and supports all global activities within Spears Business. Visit the website to learn more.

FAQ

What is CAGLE at the Spears School of Business?

The Center for Advanced Global Leadership and Engagement (CAGLE) coordinates and supports all global activities within the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. CAGLE works with students, faculty, global alumni, academic partners, industry leaders and government officials to prepare Spears Business students for leadership roles in a global business environment.

What study abroad programs does CAGLE offer?

CAGLE offers short-term, faculty-led study abroad courses during winter break, spring break and summer. Spears Business faculty teach and lead every course, and the credit applies directly to business degree programs. Destinations have included Japan, Australia, Germany, Ireland, South Korea, Greece and Scotland, along with summer internship programs in Barcelona and London. See the full list of current programs on the CAGLE website.

Can students outside the Spears School of Business study abroad through CAGLE?

Yes. CAGLE designs its programs with Spears Business students in mind, but students from other OSU colleges and from other institutions have participated and are welcome to enroll.

Are scholarships available for CAGLE study abroad programs?

Yes. Spears Business students enrolled in a CAGLE program can apply for Spears School of Business International Travel Scholarships, which give priority to students who have never traveled outside the U.S., have at least a 3.0 GPA, show financial need or are traveling to non-traditional destinations. Students may also qualify for the OSU Provost's Study Abroad Scholarship. Deadlines vary by term and are listed on the CAGLE scholarship page.

How did study abroad lead to Mario Morales-Iturbe's internship with Halliburton?

A CAGLE study abroad program to Japan was Morales-Iturbe's first international experience, and it made pursuing another opportunity abroad feel less intimidating. He later learned about a Halliburton corporate audit internship through a CAGLE email, met Halliburton representatives at two career fairs and earned the position. The internship took him to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to help conduct an international audit, and he accepted a full-time offer with Halliburton after graduation.

Story By: Addison Thomas | addison.thomas@okstate.edu