International Business Competition: Representing Fulbright and FDU

As a Fulbrighter from the Palestinian Territories, I am very eager to gain more knowledge about business, especially entrepreneurship and sustainability. To be an opportunity hunter is the best way to achieve my long term goals of helping others to establish and sustain their own businesses, which was basically my work as a Trainer and Business Plan Consultant with United Nation Development Program (UNDP) and Small Enterprise Center Association (SEC) in Gaza. 

Therefore, I didn't hesitate when I received an invitation from the Silberman College of Business at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) to participate in the Aspen Institute’s 2013 Business & Society International MBA Case Competition from March 21st till March 25th. The case that we worked with was authored by the Yale School of Management and the National University of Singapore Business School, entitled, “Golden Agri Resources and Sustainability”. We assessed the company’s current positions and developed a strategic plan for managing marketing, certification, government relations, and communications regarding sustainability.

More than 1000 students from 25 American and European universities participated in this competition in March 2013. My teammates and I started the competition at the school level (FDU). We were trained for one month on how to serve as consultants for a large company and how to prepare a report analyzing the case and answering questions related to sustainability certification, regional economic development, and stakeholder engagement with activist environmental organizations--the main criteria for judging participants.

                                     
                                     
My teammates were Olena Rudna and Phuoc Luong. The FDU judges chose my team as the winners from within the college. At the competition, the Aspen Institute judges also recognized our group, selecting us as one of five Honorable Mentions who placed in the top 10 among all teams from the 25 participating universities. The result surprised FDU and Aspen judges as it was the first time FDU participated in this highly competitive event.

Participating in the competition offered me several advantages. First, it increased my understanding of critical sustainability issues and business. Second, the competition provided me with the opportunity to practice using my best analytical skills to derive a superior case analysis while working with a diverse team of peers. Additionally, my participation in this prestigious competition represents an attractive enhancement to my appeal in the job market. Overall, it was a great opportunity for me to participate in the Aspen Institute Case Competition.

                                

Pictured from left: Professor Gerard Farias, Graduate Student Phuoc Luong, Professor Joel Harmon, Graduate Student Olena Rudna and Graduate Student Abeer AlYazji.



Abeer Alyazi is a Fulbright grantee from Gaza pursuing an MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Potlucks!

During my first week when I arrived to America, the international students were invited to an event called a “Potluck” hosted by a local church. Many locals brought different types of food, sweets, and beverages, and we had games that helped international students and locals get to know more about each other. It was a really nice gathering and people were very welcoming and generous, which is often the opposite of what we hear about Americans. I have already been to two potlucks and have another one coming up!

These events are a good chance to meet more people, to try a variety of new foods, and to just enjoy your time.

Noha Andrios is an Iraqi Fulbright student pursuing an M.S. in Training and Human Resource Development at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

My Pre-Academic program Experience at Virginia Tech

It was my first trip to the USA, and travelling from a small island in the Middle East to a huge country like America definitely worried me at first and put me under slight stress before arriving. Fortunately, the Pre-Academic program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute played a major part in helping me get over that fear right from the first day. That is, of course, attributed to the kind and friendly people I met both on and off campus. Everyone seemed to be ready to extend a helping hand to a stranger who came from thousands of miles away. Not only had I managed to interact with people from different parts of the world, but I was lucky to make friends as well. In fact, I believe that those friends added happiness to my six-week stay in Blacksburg, Virginia. In addition, the Pre-Academic program added value in terms of improving my English language skills and knowledge, whereby I managed to complete useful projects and compose research papers both individually and in groups.

Despite the fact that my stay in Blacksburg was a short one, I must admit that I miss a lot of things there including Virginia Tech activities, the class group, and most of all I miss the new friends I met, interacted with and spent happy times with.

Layla AlTurabi is pursuing a Master of Health Administration at University of Scranton.