June 20, 2019— Students in the Craig School of Business and Technology at Missouri Western State University traveled to both Australia and New Zealand over 2 weeks this summer as part of the Global Viewpoints course led by Drs. Phillip Frank and Erin McLaughlin.
Business students attended networking events, meetings and presentations with various business leaders including Douglas Pharmaceuticals, Casella Wines, Lewis Road Creamery and Sonders to name a few. Students also toured government institutions that deal with international trade.
“One notable experience was with the American Chamber of Commerce in Auckland,” said Kyle Fuson, a student in the course. “One of the presenters gave us a tour of Auckland and got us in to see the America’s Cup. He really showed us how important relationships are in business. It was a wonderful experience.”
Even with the full itinerary of business meetings, students were still able to take part in a number of cultural attractions and to enjoy the environments in which they were traveling. Students spent a day touring the town of Hobbiton in New Zealand where parts of the Lord of The Ring movies were filmed. In addition, some attendees got the chance to see a play at the Syndey Opera House, a highlight for Aston Markt, one of the chaperones on the trip: “I loved seeing the Syndey Opera House. It is one of those iconic structures and to be able to actually see a play was a dream come true!”
The Global Viewpoint class is offered every two years in the Craig School of Business. Previous trips took students to locations such as Germany, China and Costa Rica to name a few. Students also received considerable financial scholarships to offset the costs for traveling.
“It is important to provide students the chance to see businesses from a variety of industries and locations,” said Dr. Frank. “It promotes awareness of differing business practices as well as the inter-reliance on international trade. It also can serve to provide personal growth for students.”
Myia Kelly, another student in the course, mentioned her own personal growth: “This trip has really enhanced my self-confidence. I have learned to be more fearless. The many obstacles we face should not block the opportunities in our lives that might otherwise pass us by if we do not make ourselves present. This trip was a profoundly beneficial experience; one for the books.”
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.