Senior Brianne Clemons is marketing manager for the student-planned International Business Career Conference 2016 on March 4 at UMSL. (Photo by Jen Hatton)

As a marketing and international business major, Brianne Clemons is always interested in learning more about the global business world. She sees the International Business Career Conference 2016 at the University of Missouri–St. Louis as a great way for herself and other business students to gain real insight into their future careers.

“The conference is an opportunity to not only help you gain knowledge into your field but it can teach you things and help you open up your mind,” said Clemons, marketing manager for the student-planned International Business Career Conference. “A misconception is that this is for international business majors only, but the truth is it’s for all majors, because all business is global.”

The International Business Career Conference, now in its eighth year, will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. March 4 in the J.C. Penney Building and Conference Center at UMSL. This year’s conference, “Your Connection to a Global Future,” is free and open to all students, but registration is required.

“What makes the conference different from any other networking event is that it is completely created and designed by students, those of us who know what we are looking for in a conference and the speakers we want to hear,” she said. “We’ve set up the panel discussion so the students are the ones asking the questions. And the networking lunch, instead of walking around to each executive, students are sitting down and eating with them.”

Clemons, a Woodson Terrace, Mo., resident, chose UMSL because of the top-ranked International Business Program and study abroad opportunities.

“I have a minor in Spanish, and I’m very interested in the Hispanic market. I had the opportunity to study abroad in Costa Rica last year, and in a few weeks I will be going to Japan for nine days to learn about the culture and business market,” she said. “These international opportunities are essential to success in the business world. The conference is just another one of these opportunities for students to engage with professionals in the field and take away vital information.”

Visit umsl.edu/ibcc/index.html to register and for a complete conference schedule.