FIU Business introduced the exclusive Global Business Ambassadors (GBA) program designed to expose students to international business-related opportunities in South Florida. The goal of the exclusive program is to engage students who put in the extra effort and take steps needed to foster their careers.
The GBA program is open only to international business majors during their junior and senior year, providing they maintain a GPA of 3.7 or higher. No additional academic courses are required for participation in the program.
William Hardin, dean of FIU Business, explained that the GBA program comprises a unique set of experiences which place students chosen for admission in a highly competitive position upon graduation. Those participating in the program will have opportunities to interact with business leaders and their companies. The students can take advantage of this benefits.
“They will understand the university can provide introductions to people, to companies, and they can take advantage of it,” Hardin said. “Once they’re no longer a student, if they make a call to a business leader or the president of a bank, the call will likely go unanswered; but as a global ambassador these same leaders will pick up the phone because supporting students is mission critical.”
The GBA program offers five features that collectively are absent from any undergraduate international business programs in the U.S.:
- Each student is assigned a faculty mentor who will interact with them and assist and coach them on a weekly basis.
- The program offers access to IB-related internship opportunities for all GBA students.
- The program provides opportunities for experiential learning beyond the classroom, including interaction with multinational corporate executives.
- All students will be invited to periodic business and social events sponsored by international business organizations and companies in Miami, for purposes of interacting with companies.
- The program in collaboration with the College’s Career Services unit will provide each GBA student with extensive assistance in their job search.
“This program ties the college to businesses and other organizations representing FIU, which ties us to the community.” Hardin said, adding that engagement with FIU's Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom will give students access to speaker series and some opportunities for travel.
He noted that the true long-term benefit of the program is to increase the international business industry’s interaction with FIU Business students. There’s also a networking component that gives students access to decision-makers at the business and corporate level.
“Our benefactors, individuals or corporations, what they want to do at a base level is support student achievement and provide opportunities and pathways for students,” said Hardin. “The people we’re working with are already successful - they can put somebody on a beneficial path for their career, accelerate it and provide opportunities. Often students don’t realize the value of networking until they’re shown and told how to do it.”
To apply for admission to the GBA program or obtain more information, students should contact its faculty director, professor Jerry Haar, at haarj@fiu.edu or 305 348 2791.