Testimonial

Blake Esterday

There are two reasons why my experience at ESE has been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling periods of my life. First of all since my first day, every single person working for the School has supported me with the utmost genuine care and attention. With their compassion and work-ethic, the people of ESE have created an environment where the needs of students come first. In this way, the School is able to give students the support they need to “follow their dreams”. This customization comes about in many ways, for example in allowing students to chart their own path of study. I was given the opportunity by the Academic Department to take the foundational courses in the BA program before beginning my Master’s of Science. Even though I had never taken a business class before, ESE understood my potential and invested in my future. Another example of the type of atmosphere found in my experience at ESE is the personal attention given by Professors. This feeling is created not only by the small size of the classes, but also by the individual effort given by the Professors to go out of their way in guiding each student. Finally, the secretaries, internship department, financial aid office, and all other employees at ESE have greatly enhanced my experience - from answering all my questions to always helping me with the support I needed to succeed.

Secondly, I have had a tremendous experience at ESE because it truly is an international College. I had the incredible opportunity to not only work with students from a variety of different cultures, but also to become close friends with them outside of class. This experience has taught me that no matter what the world says in terms of history and politics, people are always just people. For example as an American, I made close friends with students from Iran, Russia, and Serbia. Therefore, my experience at ESE has shown me that bringing such different people together can create an environment of interesting dialogue and friendship, which is not commonly found at other universities.

Now I am continuing to enhance my learning and experience with a six month internship while I write my thesis. Spurred on by the environment I had at ESE, I am currently interning at a small company which has an international team of employees. I realized from my experience at ESE that there are many benefits to working in a small and personal international environment. I am grateful to ESE for helping me grow by preparing me to face the world in both my professional and personal life.