May 2006

GW MBA Students Meet With Industry Leaders in China

Students Help Establish First GW Alumni Beijing Chapter

Thirty-one GW MBA students traveled to Beijing, China, to gain exposure to Chinese business, history, and culture as part of a study abroad program at the end of the fall semester. Led by Professors Jiawen Yang and George Jabbour, the program examined China’s business and economic environment and observed business practices and strategies.

As part of their program experience, the students helped establish the GW Alumni Association Beijing chapter. With more than 65 active members, the Beijing chapter is thriving as a forum for GW alumni to interact, network, and strengthen the relationship between other alumni associations. The chapter celebrated its launch with a January 3, 2006, Inaugural Celebration event with remarks by GW Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science Timothy Tong. Bo Jin, a GW alumnus, was enthusiastically elected president of the Beijing Chapter.

Jin, an active alumnus who supported the GW students in their China study program, and Yang and Jabbour, helped arrange meetings with business leaders and scholars. The students had the unique opportunity to interact with and gain first-hand knowledge from Chinese government officials, business executives, entrepreneurs, researchers, and students. GW students interacted with industry and government leaders at the Ministry of Commerce, the People’s Bank of China, the Ministry of Education, and the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The students had a noteworthy trade and business discussion with influential leaders and scholars in the textile industry at the China Textile Planning Institute of Construction that received news coverage by Chinese media outlets.

Michael Akin, one of the MBA students on the trip and director of GW’s Office of District of Columbia and Foggy Bottom/West End Affairs, reflected on the trip as having been a “dynamic, great time to be in China to see the changes taking place throughout the country in terms of technology and infrastructure.” He said, “You cannot effectively be a student of international business without studying the impact that China has on the world.”

The students visited key multinational corporations such as Microsoft, Merrill Lynch, Shanghai General Motors, and Lenovo, and researched their operations. “All of the sessions were unique and I learned something different each time,” noted GW MBA student Pamela Lilak. “It is amazing to learn that the Beijing and Shanghai offices were connected to the US locations with regards to technology, human resources, financial systems, and processes,” she said.

The international experience in China will continue with another group of GW MBA students arriving on June 27. The Beijing alumni chapter also plans to build alumni networking opportunities by collaborating with 44 other American universities’ alumni associations and creating the Youth Committee of Chinese Scholars Returned from the United States. The committee will provide a forum
for sharing knowledge and experiences for students and alumni from China who have studied in the United States.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu