Sterling Simpson-Johnson, '15
“It was my dream to play soccer in college, but after I broke my ankle during my junior year of high school, I was forced to shift my plans.” Sterling Simpson-Johnson, ’15, a double major in business administration with a concentration in international business and German studies, looked back on and his experiences at the Robins School of Business and how he set his sights on pursuing his other dream, working in the German automotive industry.
“I was determined to study at a university that offered a good business program and great international opportunities; I envisioned myself working internationally, interfacing with people of different cultures and communicating in German,” he shared. “As a freshman at University of Richmond I was certain I wanted to study abroad for an entire year in order immerse myself in the German language and culture. Understanding the significance of my junior year as a business student, I knew I needed to remain on campus during this time in order to build my network in the U.S. As a result, I decided to study abroad during my sophomore year instead. Although Dr. Cossé was initially hesitant to send a sophomore abroad for a year, he allowed me to present my case. In the end, I earned his trust and was permitted to go abroad for the year contingent on the fact that I could meet the course requirements necessary for studying abroad before my departure. I achieved that goal at the end of my freshman year, and I was soon on my way to Germany.”
Thomas Cossé, associate dean of international business programs, explained, “When Sterling approached us with his desire to go abroad for the entirety of his sophomore year, we wanted to be sure he would be able to meet his other requirements for his major. By the end of his freshman year, he had a reasonable number of courses under his belt and a well-composed plan for his proposed year abroad. Because of these factors, we approved his going abroad for the full year.”
He added, “After his return, Sterling became much more focused in many ways. The time he spent abroad provided him with a clear understanding of what he wanted to do in the future such as pursuing a master’s degree in Germany and ultimately building a career in the German automotive industry.”
Simpson-Johnson described his experience abroad. “At the University of Münster, I took most of my business classes in German, which was much harder than I had anticipated. In the end I was able to greatly improve upon my language skills and gained valuable insight into Germany’s business culture. The highlight of my academic experience was the assistance I received from my finance professor during my internship search. Because of the relationship I had built with this professor over the course of my year in Germany, he was able to put me in direct contact with someone at Volkswagen’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany. Although I was not selected for an internship position, this was a tremendous step toward my goal of working in Germany’s automotive industry in terms of building my network. To this day, I’ve maintained a connection with this professor as well as the contact from Volkswagen.”
He added, “Last summer, I secured a three-month-long internship in Hamburg with SCHMEDT GmbH, a bookbinding firm. This provided me with practical experience in the German business environment. As a result, I’m now in a great position to pursue my graduate education in Germany, which will give me more of an opportunity build my network in the German business world.” Simpson-Johnson plans to return to Germany in the near future to pursue a master’s degree in finance.
“The opportunity I had to study abroad during my sophomore year set me on the path toward breaking into the German automotive industry,” he said. “My dream has become an obtainable reality thanks to Dr. Cossé’s faith in me. I look forward to what the future holds for me as I prepare to move into the real world.”
Photo: Simpson-Johnson at the Berlin Wall in Germany