Thirty-one students and three business professors – Karl Alorbi, Ph.D., Mary Kate Naatus, Ph.D. and Carl Kirton – recently visited China and Hong Kong for 11 days as part of the University’s short-term business study abroad program. During the trip, students visited the Shanghai General Motors auto plant, a silk factory, the People’s University of Beijing and the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong. They also had the opportunity to sight-see at famous tourist destinations, such as the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City.
“The financial industry is a competitive marketplace that is looking for the brightest and most talented individuals to join leading firms the world over,” said Yvette Blaney ’14, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) student who works at Goldman Sachs. “In order to stand out amongst the sea of countless fellow colleagues, Saint Peter’s University has offered a competitive advantage for MBA students who are seeking an international cultural business experience.”
Dr. Naatus agrees with Blaney’s view on international business experience. “One of the best ways to study international business is to immerse yourself in the cultural and business environment of another country,” she said.
During the spring semester, business students enrolled in the undergraduate course “Doing Business Overseas” and the graduate course “Global Business Cultural Experience” spent time learning how companies operated within Asia. Several classroom sessions featured guest speakers with a deep knowledge of China and Hong Kong, including Physics Professor Debing Zeng, Ph.D.; returned Peace Corps volunteers who taught students about Chinese culture; and a travel consultant who leads cultural immersion trips to China. Students also had to read several books to learn more about China and Hong Kong.
“These short-term study abroad programs, like the one which took our students to China and Hong Kong, add value to the educational experiences of our students,” said Dr. Alorbi. “This is real world education one can never simulate in the classroom.”
During the trip, students had the opportunity to meet with Professor Qingsi Li of the Renmin University of China, who discussed international business in China and Hong Kong. In addition, they met with United States Diplomat Scott Robinson at the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, who gave a presentation on his diplomatic role in Chinese government and business. Students also took a field trip to General Motors in Shanghai, where they witnessed first-hand how an overseas company operates.
As part of Saint Peter’s Jesuit mission, the group acquired musical instruments and gifted them to a special needs school in Shanghai in the spirit of Magis – the restless desire to do more for the greater glory of God.
“Our business students had spent weeks raising funds and requesting donations of musical instruments, which were donated to several organizations through the Mark Obama Ndesandjo Foundation, whose goal is to ‘foster cultural exchanges between Asia, America and Africa with an emphasis on helping young people appreciate art,’” said Dr. Naatus. “That stands out in my mind as one of the best experiences of the trip.”
The instruments, which were either donated by students or purchased in the United States, were transported to China by Cathay Pacific airline. The special cargo – which departed from Newark Liberty Airport – was transported free of charge, a feat made possible by the help of Professor Ed Harrison, who contacted the airline to arrange for the carriage of the instruments.
Dr. Alorbi said, “This donation of musical instruments to the special needs school in Shanghai, China supports our Jesuit tradition of being ‘men and women for others’ across borders. We hope to strengthen this dimension of our short-term study abroad program in the future.”
After presenting the instruments, Saint Peter’s students were able to spend time with the school children from the special needs school in Shanghai, who, according to Dr. Naatus, “were so welcoming and friendly. They played traditional Chinese songs for our group and were so appreciative of the small gift we were able to give them.”
For their final projects, undergraduate students prepared a plan for relocating expatriate managers and their families to China for business ventures, and graduate students prepared a research paper and presentation on a topic of their choice, such as a comparison of the healthcare systems in China and the United States, a case study of Lenovo and its emergence as a Chinese global brand, or an analysis of joint ventures and the auto industry in China.
To learn more about the undergraduate business program at Saint Peter’s University, please visit saintpeters.edu/business-administration. For the graduate business program, please visit saintpeters.edu/graduate-business.
