Pictured, front row: Amber Henderson (third from left); Hannah Walters (fifth from left); Dominika Blum (fourth from right); and Kalyan Chakraborty (second from right).
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Northern State University School of Business faculty members and staff from the NSU Office of International Programs traveled to China this month for the 26th annual Conference on International Business.
The conference was co-organized by Northern and its partner university, the University of Jinan. Attending the conference were:
- Ms. Dominika Blum, NSU Study Abroad and CEIB advisor
- Dr. Kalyan Chakraborty, associate professor of economics
- Dr. Amber Henderson, assistant professor of marketing and management
- Dr. Hannah Walters, assistant professor of marketing
Chakraborty shared his research on financial developments and economic using life and non-life insurance as a proxy for insurance market activity. Henderson presented her study on the application of the global code of ethics for tourism to the Anishinaabe culture code. In her research presentation, Walters explored the relationship between emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and customer satisfaction in the tourism and hospitality industry.
In addition to attending the conference, the delegation visited Inspur, a leading enterprise in cloud computing and big data in China. The delegation also met with students and leadership at the University of Jinan. In a question and answer session with UJN business students, Blum answered questions about studying abroad at Northern. She discussed NSU’s friendship family program, TOEFL requirements, and room and board costs for exchange and international students. Drs. Chakraborty, Henderson and Walters answered questions regarding teaching, learning and higher education in the United States.
In a meeting with university officials, the discussion focused on continued collaboration between the UJN and NSU, strengthening faculty and staff exchanges, and continuing to offer Chinese language training for students and community members.
NSU Interim School of Business Dean Dr. Doug Ohmer said the conference was important not only to the university, but also to those who attended because they were able to meet face-to-face with the leadership, faculty and staff at the University of Jinan.
“Despite technology allowing us to teleconference, it is still critically important to periodically strengthen relationship with face-to-face meetings,” Ohmer said. “Face-to-face meetings not only allow the sharing of information, but also foster the development of deep personal and cultural ties, which is not always possible using technology. For the individual faculty, attending a conference like this one allows them to deepen their understanding and gain experiences with another culture. The faculty can then bring this understanding and experience into their classroom teaching and their academic research.”
About Northern State University
Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $55 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.