Global Business Resource Center receives $528,000 grant for international business program

July 7, 2006

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Global Business Resource Center (GBRC) recently received its fifth straight Title VI B Business International Education grant from the U.S. Department of Education Business and International Education (BIE) Program.  The two-year grant worth $528,000 will help establish a mentorship program, help connect students with minority-owned businesses, conduct global market research and technology solutions for minority owned businesses and develop online training programs.

"We are very thankful for our fifth straight grant," Associate Professor of Management Computer Systems and Director of GBRC Choton Basu said.  "No one has ever received five straight BIE grants before.  Our goal is to build the strongest international business program in Wisconsin.  We feel it is important to give students as many opportunities to participate in global business and study aboard as possible."

"I congratulate Dr. Basu and his staff for the outstanding work they have done with the Program and Research on International Studies for Minorities (PRISM) and for their help in furthering UW-Whitewater's overall mission," Chancellor Martha Saunders said.  "This grant will support UW-Whitewater's longstanding commitment to multiculturalism.  It furthers the campus' strategic plan which focuses on regional leadership, national presence and global vision."

PRISM is an innovative program designed to directly address the strategic goals of UW-Whitewater on multiculturalism, globalization and diversity.  The core of this BIE grant is designed for first-generation and minority students to help them participate in international business.  This year, 20-24 students as well as 7-8 faculty members are expected to participate in the study abroad program.

"First-generation students are important to the program because a lot of them have never traveled outside of Wisconsin," Basu said.  "These are life-changing experiences for the students."

Students participating in the PRISM program will go through a three-step process to achieve a wide-array of experience in global business. Step one will involve participation in a customized mentorship program.  This program involves students assigned to faculty mentors to help students plan for a major in international business while identifying a study abroad that is the best fit for the students. The concurrent second step includes teaching students about global business and cultures through online training modules while teaching them new tools such as using blogs and wikis that will help them document and share their programmatic experiences.  The final step is to help the students connect with businesses for possible internships and gain future employment.

According to Basu, the impact of the grant will continue to raise the quality of international program offerings on campus, while also involving faculty in international projects and providing outreach services to businesses interested in global business opportunities, market research, global internships and international project experiences for students.

With the success of the program and with the help of the BIE grant, UW-Whitewater hopes to attract students from diverse backgrounds in an effort to demonstrate the existence of a strong mentorship program for minority students, as well as its many connections with global minority-owned businesses.