The banks of Loch Ness in Inverfarigaig, Inverness. Taken 16 February 2025.

Hello! My name is Lydia Niedermeyer and I am a senior studying International Business and Management, with a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Sustainable Business Strategy. I completed my Beyond the Classroom Experience in the form of a study abroad at the University of Dundee in Scotland for the 2024/2025 academic year. This program not only combined my current interests of increased environmental sustainability and the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility, but also my future career aspirations. 

Blackness Castle, Linlithgow Scotland. Taken 31 March 2025.

Before arriving at the University of Montana, I knew that my life dream was to open an environmentally sustainable Bed and Breakfast. After reading a series of books set in the Scottish Highlands, I knew that I wanted to investigate the possibility of having such an establishment abroad. My interest in Scotland led me to discover the numerous ways in which the country is more environmentally conscious than the United States. In the U.S, there are many who do not believe in the reality of climate change and therefore its ability to combat the issue is compromised by efforts to instead inform citizens of the problem at hand. 

The Ring of Brodgar in Stromness- Stenness on the Orkney Islands. Taken 5 April 2025. 

In Scotland, it was refreshing to not only be surrounded by individuals, peers, instructors, and even the country itself, that acknowledged the climate crisis – which then allowed for a more focused discussion and policies on how to combat it. Multiple cities across Scotland have made commitments of achieving net-zero emissions and the government supports both businesses and homeowners that make the switch to energy sources that have fewer detrimental effects on the environment with monetary grants. One campaign to encourage more use of public transportation was the Young Scot Card, which allowed those under twenty-two years of age that could prove at least six months of residency free bus fares throughout the whole country. 

With this in mind, I was extremely excited for the opportunity to take modules that focused on the intersection between business and sustainability. Over the course of my year abroad, I enrolled in two such courses: Business in Society: Responsibility, Diversity, and Geopolitics and Sustainable Supply Chain Management. The Business in Society course was geared more towards policy and more broadly how businesses should function within their surrounding communities. Our discussions focused on the various issues that are facing people around the world and how businesses should or should not be held accountable for making a difference in how these issues are addressed. The conversations and coursework from this module have strengthened my beliefs that companies have the capability to drive change through policies and acknowledgement of corporate social responsibility. This class has further inspired me in how I hope to one day run my bed and breakfast to adhere to such ideals. However, Sustainable Supply Chain Management focused more on the actual implementation of steps into a business plan to minimize environmental impacts. In this module, we analyzed different companies and their supply chains- looking into how different steps could either increase or decrease their carbon footprint and waste. 

Summit of Beinn Nibheis (Ben Nevis) in Fort William, the highest peak in the United Kingdom and British Isles. Taken 3 April 2025. 

The ability to study abroad in Scotland is an experience that I will forever reflect upon and am so grateful to have completed. The immersion in another culture and having met lifelong friends from across the globe has not only enriched my time in college, but also my life. I have grown and changed, not only as a leader, but as a person. I consider myself very privileged to have access to such a program and would highly recommend a study abroad to all those who can!