As the bustle of fall fades to the quiet of early winter's approach, the pace of life may have slowed down for some this month, but many of our students at the Lundquist College of Business are as busy as ever--taking advantage of distinct global opportunities and literally building a better future for those who come next.
As you read this, about twenty-five of our Master of Accounting students are completing an international journey to Nyenrode Business Universiteit in the Netherlands, where they learned about European business practices and made new crosscultural connections. They were joined by accounting professor Steven Matsunaga and Master of Accounting Program Director Robin Clement, as well as a few alumni.
Mastering the tools needed to start, run, manage, or innovate a business in a global context is one compelling reason for overseas travel; appreciating other cultures and learning about opportunities to give back are equally important.
Preparations are currently being made for a weeklong trip to Costa Rica as part of our Honors Alternative Spring Break. (Some may recall last year's life-changing journey to Guatemala.)
Come March, eighteen students, led by Business Honors Program Director and senior finance instructor Deb Bauer, will travel to the El Higueron community of Costa Rica to build a multipurpose court that will not only serve as a recreation spot for children, but also as a safe community gathering space.
Sports also bind communities on a global scale.
Warsaw Sports Marketing Center Executive Programs Coordinator and Athletic Department Liaison Judy Sheldon spent three weeks this autumn hosting China's Hongxia Wei as part of the Global Sports Mentoring Program--a newly launched collaboration between the U.S. Department of State and espnW.
Wei serves as director of law and regulation at China's Ministry of Sport. Along with visits with representatives from several UO departments, Wei and Sheldon traveled to Portland to talk with officials at Nike and USA Gymnastics.
The U.S. Department of State rolled out the Empowering Women and Girls Through Sports Initiative earlier this year in partnership with espnW in a global effort to engage women and girls through sports. The University of Oregon was honored with the exclusive invitation to take part as the sole academic institution among the seventeen participating organizations.
Sheldon has said it was her experience in the Oregon MBA's Engaging Asia initiative that provided her with solid footing for an intense, meaningful, crosscultural mentoring experience.
Here at home, a different type of mentoring program is also seeing tremendous success.
The CEO Network--an organization of students of color pursuing business and professional success--welcomed fifty new first-year students in fall, bringing its total student count to 125, according to advisor Tayah Butler.
This is a huge stride forward from its inception only two years ago, with just thirty students. The goal of the CEO Network is to diversify the student body in business and accounting majors so companies have a more diverse applicant pool to recruit from when they look to UO for hiring needs. So far, a laudable 100 percent of graduates of the CEO Network have secured permanent positions within six months of graduating.
With exceptional people and programs like the ones mentioned, the Lundquist College continues to seek and embrace a chair at the global table. It is these strategic, productive, and worthwhile relationships that help separate our college from others. And for these exceptional partnerships, we are truly humbled and grateful.
All of us in the Lundquist College community would like to take this moment to express our gratitude to the donors, alumni, and friends of the college, whose support--directly and indirectly--makes these programs possible.
In this spirit, we wish you and yours joy, comfort, and peace this holiday season, wherever in the world you may be.
Cordially,
Cornelis A. "Kees" de Kluyver
Dean and James and Shirley Rippey Distinguished Professor