Hi! My name is William Pankratz, and I’m a junior studying Management Information Systems at the University of Montana. My GLI global theme is Technology and Society, and my challenge focuses on how technology can drive more sustainable systems. This summer, I explored that theme in a big way during my internship with NORNORM, a sustainable office furniture company in Stockholm, Sweden.

NORNORM’s business model is built on the circular economy. They provide companies with Scandinavian office furniture on a subscription, then refurbish and reuse pieces to reduce waste. It’s a perfect blend of design, environmental responsibility, and technology. My role was to work with my supervisors, Ella Linden and Emil Steenhouwer, on a go-to-market strategy for NORNORM’s U.S. launch. We researched industry trends, regional differences, and customer needs, then created tailored strategies for different regions of the country.

Living in Sweden was just as eye-opening as the work itself. One moment that will always stick with me was walking through Stockholm’s city center and realizing how important sustainability is to their country, from the advanced recycling stations on every block to the bike-first street design. It made me reflect on how my own culture approaches environmental responsibility, and how much opportunity there is to improve.

This experience pushed me to think bigger about how technology, especially AI, can optimize circular economy models and make sustainable practices easier to adopt. It also strengthened my skills in cross-cultural collaboration, research, and strategic thinking.

I’m so grateful to the Franke Global Leadership Initiative Fellowship for making this opportunity possible. My summer in Sweden didn’t just teach me about business strategy, it reinforced my commitment to building a career at the intersection of technology and environmental preservation.

Hello! My name is Gabbi Claxton (she/they), and my global theme focuses on inequality and human rights, complimenting my majors in Environmental Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality studies.

To be really transparent, my decision to study in Barcelona was disproportionately due to not wanting to endure another Montana-adjacent winter season, of course among other things, such as Spain and Catalunya’s rich history, social culture, governmental processes, and the opportunity for language immersion. This proved to be the right decision, as the education academically, culturally, and socially has been absolutely transformative for me, and I got to opt out of yet another winter. 

Spain is well known for their socially connected culture. This has been one of the most intriguing aspects of my time there. I believe that community and connection is a pillar of well-being often overlooked in the United States. In order to have a society of equity, sense of place, and overall mutual respect, it is crucial to understand the ways in which each individual is woven into the web of society. This is a way of being in the world that Spaniards embody. It has helped me to reject the ideas of hyperindividualism and further embrace and contribute to the creation of community in my life back in the United States. In a broader sense, I have a much more well-rounded, global perspective of functions of society and the ways in which citizens and government influence how people show up and feel supported (or lack of) in their communities. 

Barcelona’s location made it relatively accessible to travel around Europe, Catalunya, and Spain. My time spent travelling, which was as much as I was able, deepened my capacity to understand and appreciate diversity in lifestyle, culture, and perspective. Not only has that been so essential to a more nuanced viewpoint in regards to my academic pursuits, but also a more equitable and accepting way of showing up in my personal endeavors. Solo travelling opened me up to my own capacity for capability, autonomy, and independence. Travelling rejuvenated my creativity and fostered an expansive sense of adventure and self-relationship, and made me more confident in my ability to connect with others, regardless of background. 

As any abroad experience would, it did not come without adversity. Once my initial honeymoon phase had faded, I experienced a sense of loneliness and uncertainty. I had to take classes in a language I did not speak, the language barrier proved to be more socially difficult than I had thought, I felt isolated. I initially had an image in my head of how I should feel, and how I should be experiencing my time abroad, and I had felt like my little idealized bubble had popped. This isn’t being said to deter anyone from studying abroad, but it is a normal part of the experience. In hindsight, this hardship had been exactly what I needed. Overcoming these obstacles made me a more capable and resilient person. Navigating unpleasant situations skyrocketed my leadership skills, and, overall, these feelings were so short-lived in comparison to the amazing experiences and lessons learned in multiple aspects of my life. 

When I had initially gone abroad, my friends and I would always joke about the stereotypical “when I was abroad” student, and I was so convinced that it not only wouldn’t significantly change me but also I would be exempt from the stereotype (for whatever reason). Now, after being a few months returned, I can confidently say that I have changed, quite significantly. Truly, I could go on and on (and on and on and on) about the plethora of takeaways I have. I am more equipped to handle challenges, I have been able to show up more fully in many aspects of my life, and I feel just absolutely invigorated by the world around me. Beyond the Classroom provided me the space to grow in ways I didn’t even know I needed, and I could not recommend it more. 

Costa Brava, Catalunya- Kayaking with my little sibling, they came to visit me at the end of my trip 🙂

Hi! My name is Lotus Porte-Moyel. I’m a senior at UM studying audio journalism and musical theatre. My Global Theme is Culture and Politics, and my Challenge is “How audio storytelling gives youth the tools to understand themselves within their community’s cultural context.” Over the past five weeks, I’ve worked as a resident summer camp instructor at Cottonwood, a self-directed school and event space in Brooklyn, NYC. I’ve led 5-12-year-olds in creating an audio story each week, including a radio play, a reported audio story, and three episodes of a vox pop (voice of the people), where they’ve brainstormed questions, practiced interview and recording techniques, and interviewed strangers around city parks. I didn’t realize how proud I would feel watching kids do what I have learned to do over the past four years at UM! They fearlessly walk up to strangers and listen intently to each response, take notes, and reflect on the interviews to me as they walk to the next. Watching them report the vox pops has been particularly inspiring because the questions they narrowed down were, “What’s the meaning of life?” and “What do you want to do before you die?” Of course, many interviewees were surprised by the depth of these questions coming from kids. I think it made people more eager to answer.
Cottonwood is in a predominantly white, well-off neighborhood, so I think it was eye-opening for some of the campers to interview people from all over the world, from an array of backgrounds, especially hearing from people of all ages. It was probably more eye-opening for me, coming from Montana, to be honest! The campers were astute in noticing patterns in the interviewee’s responses and noticing when someone had an answer that stood out to them. The biggest lesson I’m taking away is that people of any age can be great reporters, as long as they can listen and are unafraid to be curious. The kids have taught me to be braver when I’m reporting my own stories! To report the intimidating story, to interview strangers on the street, and to embrace imperfection a little more.
Giving the campers the freedom to come up with and ask questions, operate high-quality equipment, and edit audio clips seems to make them more excited about creating stories when their “touch” is a part of it. The last and most in-depth story the campers are creating is about the park they visit every day to play. They are interviewing members of the neighborhood who volunteer to keep the space nice and strangers in the park. We’ve researched the history and are excited to interview the bird-watching tour guide tomorrow! On Friday, we will close with a listening exhibit of each story for the campers’ families to hear. I hope building these stories and practicing audio reporting has expanded the camper’s view of what they’re capable of and that they can learn so much from almost anyone they talk to. This experience has just been the best!

5-year-old campers test out recording equipment during our first week of camp, preparing for their radio play.

One camper records natural sound of a waterfall in Central Park.

Campers interview a stranger in Bryant Park (Times Square), asking “What is the meaning of life?” and “What do you want to do before you die?”