Title: $10 Million Establishes Interdisciplinary Global Business Programs

–Georgetown hs established two new interdisciplinary programs for undergraduates with an interest in global business, thanks to gifts totaling $10 million.

The new global business major in the School of Foreign Service (SFS) and the Global Business Fellows Program are designed to expose undergraduates in SFS and the McDonough School of Business to core classes that will strengthen their foundations in business and international affairs.

“These interdisciplinary programs accepted their first group of students this past semester,” says Provost Robert Groves. “It would not have been possible without seed money from two Georgetown families. Their philanthropic contributions and strategic oversight enabled these revolutionary programs to take shape.”

A New Option for SFS Students

SFS now offers undergraduates the option to major in global business, which means they may take core business courses from Georgetown McDonough along with the required university and SFS courses in social science and humanity theories and methods.

Interim SFS Dean James Reardon-Anderson explains that the curriculum will prepare graduates “to become skilled and insightful actors in a globalizing world.”

Grace Cole (F’17), a current student majoring in global business, plans to use what she learns to make a global impact.

“[I believe in] employing private sector innovation to make tangible improvements in living standards across the globe,” she says. “I’m confident that this degree will provide me with a wonderful foundation.”

Principled Leaders, Global Mindset

Similarly, the Global Business Fellows Program combines the fundamental principles of business with coursework and experiential learning in international affairs, economics and public policy.

Thirty Georgetown sophomores will be selected for the program each year.

“The aim of the program is to produce a new breed of graduates who are fluent in the global languages of business, politics, economics and culture,” explains Georgetown McDonough Dean David Thomas. “The program fits with our mission to educate principled leaders with a global mindset to be in service to business and society.”

Siyu (Era) Qian (B’17), one of the students in the Global Business Fellows program, says she appreciates the integrated curriculum.

“The best part of the Global Business Fellows program is that it teaches you business tools and allows you to apply them in a global setting,” she says “I really like the speaker events and taking classes with people who share the same passion for global business.”

Bridging Two Schools

One of the donors, whose interest in creating the program originated from his observations as both a Georgetown parent and business leader, says he understands the critical intersection of the SFS and Georgetown McDonough from the dual perspectives of education and employment.

“My wife and I chose to make this investment in Georgetown to inspire a collaboration between these schools,” says the donor, who wishes to remain anonymous. “We wanted to help create a program that will fully prepare students for the ever-changing world in which we live.

“We have found it so rewarding to watch the deans work together to develop a curriculum that challenges students to be ‘men and women for others’ in our modern, global world. And, as an SFS alumnus, contributing to the creation of this program has special meaning for me.”

The new fellows program was in development for nearly four years.

Joining Thomas and Reardon-Anderson in the planning were:

Ricardo Ernst, professor and managing director of Georgetown McDonough’s Global Business Initiative
Norean Sharpe, senior associate dean and director of undergraduate programs for Georgetown McDonough
SFS professor Theodore Moran, the Marcus Wallenberg Chair in International Business and Finance and founder ofthe LandeggerProgram in International BusinessDiplomacy
Mitch Kaneda, SFS associate dean and director of the Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service Program.

Partnering Locally, Globally

Global Business Fellows will interact with economic leaders and public policy decision makers at organizations and agencies such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group, the U.S. Department of State and the Federal Reserve.

They also will work with advisors in preparation for their Global Business Experience capstone course, which involves a substantive consulting project for an international for-profit or nonprofit organization.

Fellows then will travel to the client site for one week in order to present their findings to senior management.

“Leaders in business and international affairs need to understand the political and economic contexts in which they operate,” says the second anonymous donor, an international business executive and Georgetown parent. “It is a joy and an honor to invest in the launching of this program that will prepare Hoyas to become active, adaptable and innovative leaders around the world.

“I truly believe in this investment that unites and enhances the extraordinary assets at the Walsh School of Foreign Service and Georgetown McDonough.”