Study abroad fair targets business students
WMU marketing major Sarah McCormick, studied
business for a semester in Rome, Italy in fall 2007.
Fair attendees will have the opportunity to speak with WMU students who have studied business abroad, WMU professors who coordinate programs and courses around the world, and study abroad advisors from the Haenicke Institute, as well as representatives of non-WMU study/work abroad programs conducted worldwide.
Dr. Zahir A. Quraeshi, WMU professor of marketing and international business, said today’s employers are keenly interested in hiring candidates who have overseas experience listed on their resume.
“In a world “flattened “by technological and communication developments, and a workplace marked by multicultural diversity, students need to be suitably prepared for the globalized world of business,” Quareshi said. “Study abroad provides truly unique, invaluable and unrivaled experiences that can greatly enrich a student’s academic preparation for a satisfying and productive career.”
WMU senior Sarah McCormick, a native of Long Beach, Ind. majoring in marketing, studied business for a semester in Rome, Italy in fall 2007. She said living and studying in another culture increased her awareness of her career and leadership potential, as well as enhancing her resume.
“The semester after I returned from Italy I became more involved on campus and took on leadership roles,” said McCormick, who now serves as a peer advisor in the institute’s study abroad office. “Spending time in another country also allowed me to look at class topics from a different view and to share broadened perspectives with my class and professors. While interviewing for jobs and internships, I realized the amazing effect studying abroad has on my resume. It is the first thing I am asked about every time!”
The University's business-oriented programs focus on subjects such as accountancy, economics, finance, marketing and management; additionally, some programs offer intensive foreign language study. They are being offered in 14 countries: Australia, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands and Thailand. In addition, the Haenicke Institute's study abroad office can help students learn about overseas internships.
WMU provides a variety of scholarships for students wishing to study abroad, including the President's Grant, which awards up to $9,000 to students who plan to study a foreign language while abroad. Additionally, all financial aid can be applied to study abroad programs, including the Kalamazoo Promise and Michigan Education Trust funds.
Of the more than 65 programs WMU offers this year, the following are particularly suited for business studies:
Swinburne University of Technology
University of Wollongong
Chinese Language & Culture
Universidad de Veritas
Alexandria Center for Languages
American Intercontinental University
NEGOCIA
Paderborn University
John Cabot University
Otaru University of Commerce
Sunway University College
Hogeschool van Utrecht
Universiteit Maastricht
University of Otago
BI - Norwegian School of Management
Global business in Thailand and Japan
For more information about study abroad internships and scholarships, or information about WMU's business-focused study abroad programs visit the study abroad Web site www.wmich.edu/studyabroad, send e-mail to study-abroad@wmich.edu, call (269) 387-5890 or visit the study abroad office in Room B2425 of Ellsworth Hall.
The office, which is located on Ellsworth's second floor, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and offers informational sessions as well as walk-in advising hours on a daily basis.