“In Your Business”, which is an UMSL Business’s podcasting series yet again featured people who are experts in their areas, eager to offer guidance to prospective audiences on matters affecting them. In the recent podcast, UMSL Business talked with Dr. Joseph Rottman, Dr. Ekin Pellegrini, and Cassie Philip about the Study Abroad Program at UMSL.
Dr. Rottman is the Director of the International Business Institute and a professor of Information Systems at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. He also coordinated the Study Abroad programs aimed at UMSL business students. Dr. Pellegrini is an Associate Professor of Global Leadership and Management at the College of Business Administration at UMSL. She also teaches “International Business” and “Women and Leadership” classes in Bremen, Germany. Finally, Cassie Philip is a student at UMSL majoring in Accounting, who studied abroad in Germany in summer 2017.
At the beginning of the interview, Dr. Rottman spoke about the countries and universities which partner with UMSL and offer study abroad classes for business students. UMSL currently has partnerships with schools in Germany, China, Japan, Finland, and the Netherlands. He also talked about application deadlines and when the courses are offered. When it comes to costs, Dr, Rottman explained that they vary depending on the courses and travel fares. However, Dr. Rottman advised applying for scholarships that are available to reduce the costs for prospective students.
Dr. Pellegrini talked about the available classes which students can take, such as, for instance, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Information Systems, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing, International Business, as well as Entrepreneurship. She explained that the structure of the program is very efficient, which allows students to complete six credit hours in less than four weeks. The program also entails field trips to businesses such as the Mercedes Benz factory to get a hands-on feel for the international business environment.
During the interview, Cassie Philip confessed that taking part in the study abroad program was beneficial for her personal and professional development. She spoke about the dynamics of the classes she was attending, as well as the cultural diversity of students there, that enabled participants to have a deeper understanding of various cultures across the globe. She also stated that taking part in the study abroad program was an opportunity for her to travel and see other countries.
When speaking about the benefits of studying abroad for future employment, Dr. Pellegrini highlighted that the program places students in an advantageous position since current employers prefer employees with a global experience of business and cultural diversity. At the end of the interview, Dr. Rottman also gave insights into the evolution of the study abroad program within the College of Business which now includes new partnerships in the United Kingdom and Asia.
The interview was generally very insightful for business students who intend to study abroad. Listen to the full interview here.
A blog created by UMSL Marketing B.A. and MBA students.
