By Brianna Bassett | Reporter
Baylor’s Business Excellence Scholarship Team (BEST) went on a week-long trip to Prague from Sept. 18 to 24.
The organization is a two-semester program that helps develop students’ professional skills through teamwork, innovative learning, field cases and international exposure, according to the BEST page on the Baylor website.
Prior to the trip, BEST students had conducted research and studied businesses in Prague. While on the trip, they were able to hear from the companies they had researched and ask them questions about how their businesses are run.
While in Prauge, the group toured Skoda Auto Plant, visited Terezin Concentration Camp, heard from various guest speakers and even lead a youth fellowship.
Students were able to hear from Baylor alumnus Jeff McGehee, who is now an international lawyer in Prague.
Knoxville, Tenn., senior Avery Wyatt said hearing from McGehee was one of her favorite parts of the trip.
“He had such a unique perspective on global business and representing governments and multi-billion dollar companies. It was great exposure for us to hear from someone like that,” Wyatt said.
On the last night of the trip, students joined with a youth group called “Youth Praha.” Baylor students gave testimonies, led worship and helped lead small group discussions to talk about what it means to be a Christian and have challenges in their faith.
According to Dr. Marlene Reed, senior entrepreneur lecturer and BEST coordinator, there are many churches in Prague, but none of them are in use. Youth Praha offers a place for junior and high school students to go and gain support from other young Christians.
BEST has been partnering with this youth group for a few years now, Reed said.
“This went to the core of what Baylor is,” Reed said of the willingness of the students to share their testimonies and really get involved in the fellowship with the international students. “This is just a normal class of students, and I could call upon them to do all these things and everyone in the class responded. To me, that was the highlight of the trip.”
This spiritual moment of the trip also resonated with students.
“There was a moment when I was worshipping,” Wyatt sai,. “when I just looked around and realized we were in Prague, and there were people from all different parts of the world that brought them to this room, and we’re all worshipping the same God. It was a really cool experience.”
BEST is a year-long course for seniors. There are only 28 students allowed in the class, and participants must be nominated by a professors to be involved with BEST.
According to Reed, students are nominated not just for high grade point averages, but also for other criteria such as being a well-rounded student.https://www.baylor.edu/best/index.php?id=24442
