Please Support WWU’s International Business Students!
Western students need experiences beyond the classroom to be competitive in the international field, but many of our students cannot afford the cost associated with this travel or participation!
As we look forward to the coming school year, we are optimistic that study abroad opportunities will begin to open up again. We anticipate pent-up demand from students combined with increased costs, in particular for air travel. With likely fewer airlines, airfare tickets are sure to be higher, and thus require higher travel awards. For many students, the extra travel costs are a major deterrent for study abroad. With your help, we can prepare our students for the new world that we all hope will permit the open international exchange we all believe in.
A Program To Be Proud Of
Each year, the College of Business and Economics gives a President’s Medal to a graduate. This requires not just outstanding academic performance, but service to the university and local community, and attention to diversity issues. Emmelyn Affeldt was selected this year from our program, the eighth time since the award was initiated in 2002 that our graduate has won the award. Not too shabby for a small program like ours!
Funding Priorities:
- The International Business Study Abroad Scholarship
Your WWU Give Day donation will allow us to give stipends toward airfare to our IBUS students to help them travel and gain professional experience abroad. Studies show, and data from our own alumni confirm that those who have meaningful study abroad experiences have better career opportunities.
While scholarships exist for tuition, the cost of airfare is a major barrier for many of our students who wish to travel abroad. This stipend will open the doors for these students and give them a global experience that they will bring back to Western’s campus. With current contributions each year, we can give 10 of these $1,000 stipends, with your support, we can increase that amount to an even more impactful level to meet the needs of this new environment. And of course, it would be great if we could give all thirty international business students in each cohort that same level of help.
- The International Business Program Fund
Before COVID, we entitled this as “Bringing IBUS students to the Seattle market.” With COVID, ironically, because of enhances to our virtual environment, we can think about a wider market where our students can interact. Building the WWU International Business program brand requires both professors and students to be more visible in the Seattle and the wider market. This includes our first participation in a national case competition and opportunities for students to participate in training programs (e.g., an export marketing two-day session that let our students learn from and meet successful international marketing managers and get job advice).
Last year, with no airfare costs, we were able to let our students participate in the NASBITE International Case competition. Other students interested in international marketing attended a two day virtual international marketing training program that even included career advice from successful managers from around the US. We think some of these types of activities will continue even after COVID restrictions end. We also look forward to resuming face-to-face activities. Events like field trips to visit companies, networking events with alumni, and attendance at international trade and country-specific programs all add significant value to the program. Contributions to the International Business Fund will allow us to continue and expand these kinds of student activities.
International Business Challenge Funds!
The first $1,000 in gifts to International Business Study Abroad Scholarships will be matched dollar for dollar by Professor Tom Roehl, who has been teaching in IBUS since 1999 and is dedicated to the success of his students and the program. Thank you for joining him in investing in International Business students!
Don’t forget that there are other ways to help if you are not comfortable with or can’t afford a financial contribution. One way is the new Career Center program, WECONNECT. It allows you to register and indicate that you will advise students about to graduate in their job search. Thank you to the more than twenty IBUS alumni who have already registered!
Thank you for considering supporting the International Business program and stay safe. We look forward to face-to-face interaction as the crisis recedes.
