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Global Scholars
A gift of $595,000 to create The Global Scholars Program is part of a $10 million pledge to UNC-Chapel Hill from Alston Gardner, a 1977 university alumnus who lives in Atlanta. Kenan-Flagler will partner with select international universities that have highly ranked business schools to establish the program. Approximately 48 outstanding international undergraduate students will be selected to study in Chapel Hill annually, where they also will take part in a special "living-learning" program created in a campus residence facility. The international students will live with about 24 top Kenan-Flagler students who are accepted into the program. Additionally, invitations to participate will be extended to undergraduate majors in international studies, Asian studies and Latin American studies. "Alston's extraordinary gift provides the seed money to innovate in a way that will have immediate and tremendous impact on the breadth of undergraduate education," said Jeff Cannon, director of Kenan-Flagler's BSBA Program. "I envision eye-opening, give-and-take classroom discussions. Students will learn about different perspectives on conducting business." U.S.News & World Report recognized the BSBA Program last fall as the No. 5 undergraduate program in the nation. Ellen Peirce, BSBA Program associate dean, believes that this kind of international vision is the key to continually improving students' educational experiences. "Today's graduates must enter a truly global community with agile, decision-making skills. Opening the eyes and minds of the next generation of business leaders to North Carolina's place in this world is critical to our mission," Peirce said. Not every undergraduate student can afford the time or money to go overseas. This is a way for students to get to know those in other countries and to understand a different point of view, Gardner said. "There's hardly an industry today that doesn't have an international supplier, key client or competitor. Students can't afford not to know about other countries," Gardner said. "Unfortunately, we don't have many international students at UNC, and our undergraduates aren't exposed to other cultures and attitudes." Gardner said he did not travel internationally when he was a student or even much after graduation. When he founded his own company, he was faced with a crash course in all aspects of international trade as well as learning about other cultures. Universities that initially will be invited to participate in the Global Scholars Program include top institutions in China, Korea, Mexico, Singapore and Thailand. Kenan-Flagler also plans to partner with other top business schools in Africa, Asia, and Latin and South America. The program will include new courses such as "Business in the Pacific Rim." Business trips for participants are planned to places such as the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, the State Department and the Kenan Institute in Washington, and investment banks and the United Nations in New York. Domestic students may choose to participate in a three-week business immersion trip to Hong Kong, Bangkok and Seoul at the end of the school year. In addition to being exposed to an enlightening experience while in college, Gardner said making friends around the world also may provide a career advantage later. "Many relationships we build in college result in business relationships," he said. Gardner's total pledge of $10 million to the Carolina First campaign also includes 25 undergraduate scholarships in the College of Arts and Sciences for a six-week program at the National University of Singapore, and two research and teaching graduate fellowships and a speaker series in the University Center for International Studies. Gardner, a Durham native, was the founder and chief executive officer of On Target Inc., a provider of consulting services and training programs for sales and marketing organizations, that was acquired by Siebel Systems in late 1999. In May 2000, he formed Fulcrum Ventures LLC, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology and health-care companies. |
dynamic new Global Scholars Program that will begin in fall 2003 will help Kenan-Flagler undergraduates better prepare for participation in an international economy.