Jesiah Owens

“Studying abroad has always been something I was aware of as adding to your college experience while also broadening your personal experience, but after doing so, I can now say that no words can truly describe how important it is and what a privilege it is to be able to experience another part of the world.

I have always had an interest in Japan, but the idea of visiting there and learning about how business is conducted was only realized for me once I heard about Ramapo’s international programs. Ms. Lamanna, Assistant Director of International Education, helped me tremendously in preparing the necessary steps I needed to begin my journey to study abroad and was a large part of my initial excitement and eventual decision to go.

As a business management major, I found the idea of getting to know how business is structured in Japan to be a valuable lesson that could only truly be learned closer to the source. After deciding to go through Ramapo’s international exchange with Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, I found myself within a new world to not only learn from the many amazing professors Kansai Gaidai had to offer but also from a whole new country to explore and learn about its deep and historical culture. One of the most influential professors I had during my time there was Professor Mark Tracy, who taught Japanese management. Due to his unique circumstance of being a foreigner doing business in Japan for such a long time, it led to him having a catalog of lessons and stories that really showed the underbelly of not only how Japanese business works but the country as a whole. The class left me wanting more and has inspired me to learn more about how business is conducted in other countries.

I look forward to not only graduating in 2026 but being able to hopefully study abroad again to learn more on how the world does business while in tandem learning about their cultures as well!” – Jesiah Owens ’26 is a Management Major with a minor in Information Technology Management. He received the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Award: 2022 Leaders in Service and is a part of the Global Roadrunners.