Marshall University Executive MBA class
heads to Chile for international residency

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Twenty-two professional students in the current Marshall University Executive Master of Business Administration class will embark on an international study abroad residency to Santiago, Chile, this Saturday afternoon.

The students, who have been studying together on Saturdays at Marshall’s South Charleston campus for the past 15 months, depart from Charleston Saturday afternoon and return to Charleston on Sunday, Oct. 11. While in Santiago, students will interact with locally owned and operated businesses and international companies during the weeklong residency abroad.

The excursion is an important part of the Marshall Executive MBA experience and involves five full days of class, lectures, presentations and on-site tours, said Dr. Uday Tate, director of the Executive MBA program.

“This is the last leg of the cohort’s journey,” Tate said. “Our students, who will graduate later this month, can now take the principles they have mastered in class and learned through their classmates and see how it comes together to work on an international level. This is an amazing opportunity for our students.”

While in Santiago, the cohort and accompanying professors will experience an economic briefing by the U.S. Department of Commerce at the U.S. Embassy, a presentation by the Association of Chilean Exporters, a tour of Drillco and a presentation by the nonprofit Endeavor on its role in the development of the mining-related company. Other presentations and tours include an overview of the continent’s economy given by BBVA’s chief economist for South America, a lecture at Adolfo Ibanez University on why Chile is one of Latin America’s most competitive economies, and a corporate presentation at the country’s largest and most successful wineries.

Students also will experience another American connection during a tour and overview of Finning, a Caterpillar dealer in the region, which was arranged by one of the Executive MBA students with connections and an interest in the mining and construction industries.

Students participating in the residency include Scott Anderson of Huntington, Rachael Blount of Charleston, Brian Bracey of Huntington, Charlie Bradley of Huntington, Celia Cooper of Williamstown, Paul Davis of Huntington, Shonee Amy Ferrebee of Ashford, Shane Finster of Huntington, Patricia Garren of Hurricane, Keith Hainer of Chapmanville, Ben Hardman of Huntington, Linda Holley of Prichard, Jeremy Holton of Huntington, David Horst of Milton, Justin Hunter of Huntington, Kelly May of Matewan, Michelle P. Muth of Huntington, Troy Nedrich of Cannonsburg, Pa., Victoria Quintrell-Paul of Charleston, Valerie Ray of Charleston, Chris Roberts of Hurricane, and Kristen Schneider of Morgantown.

Also accompanying the cohort on the trip are professors Lorraine Anderson and Deepak Subedi, and Lalena Price from University Communications.

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For more information or to arrange either video footage, photos or interviews from students or professors during the trip, please contact Lalena Price at pricel@marshall.edu. Unfortunately, our mobile phones will not work with the towers in Chile, so e-mail is the best avenue of contact during the weeklong trip.