Saunders Passport_2017-04 pages

SAUNDERS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS saunders.rit.edu

DIVERSITYSAUNDERS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS27 SPECIAL SCHOLARSFROM AROUND THE GLOBEFULBRIGHT | USAID | MESCyT | AMIDEAST | TIBET FUND | PUCCMFor more than two decades, Rochester Institute ofTechnology has hosted special scholars from aroundthe globe. Hailing from prestigious programs thatinclude Fulbright, USAID and MESCyT — SaundersCollege of Business welcomes an internationallydiverse group of students each year to provideopportunities for personal and professional growth.Our special scholars represent the world’s top talentcoming from countries such as Kosovo, Nicaragua,Kazakhstan, Egypt and Ghana.

GREATNESS THROUGH DIFFERENCE

“Saunders College of Business has welcomedcountless international scholars fromprestigious global exchange programs aroundthe world. These exceptional scholars whocome to Saunders College gain a differentiatingopportunity to grow. They offer a diverse andworldly perspective in the classroom thatall students benefit from. Our scholars trulyunderstand the lasting impact they can have intheir communities.”Jacqueline R. Mozrall, Ph.D.Dean and ProfessorSaunders College of BusinessRochester Institute of Technology



SPECIAL SCHOLARSFROM AROUND THE GLOBE Net Fran Dominican Republic West B Nicaragua Senegal BeninGuatemala Ghana Congo, Democratic Republic of Uruguay

Russia Netherlands KazakhstanFrance Kosovo Georgia Mongolia West Bank Iraq Afghanistan Yemen Pakistannegal India Benin Philippines Rwanda Indonesiaemocratic Australiablic of Lesotho 27 SCHOLARS 26 NATIONS

Yacarely Mairena MBA in Entrepreneurship with Advanced Project Management, ‘17 Managua, Nicaragua “I’ve become more of a world citizen — more understanding of the complexities and challenges other countries face.”“There are abundant opportunities WORK EXPERIENCEfor growth and to increase impactnationwide.” For 10 years, Yacarely has been working to improve business development inIn Nicaragua, Yacarely understands rural Nicaragua. Through businessthe needs for entrepreneurship and consulting, founding the nonprofitinfrastructure development. Through her organization Enlace Project, andwork founding a nonprofit organization working with the Peace Corps, heraimed at connecting small business with work has guided her across her homelarger business projects, and working with country leaving an impact on thethe Peace Corps, she strives to provide business climate of the communitiesentrepreneurial skills and support for she visits. During her studies at RIT,small businesses to grow and become a she maintains her status on the boardchange-agent within their community. of directors at Enlace Project.The entrepreneurship opportunitiesavailable at Saunders College sparkedher interest, as well as the diversecultures. Her studies have provided agreater understanding of data analyticsand how she could integrate them intoher organization’s business model. “Ifeel privileged to be a part of Saundersbecause the courses are built for today’sbusiness needs. They adapt as businessneeds evolve, and are aimed at developingsolutions for tomorrow.”

Erblin Ribari MBA in Finance, ‘17 Pristina, Kosovo “RIT provides the platform, and we reap the benefits. The professors are ready to help you at any time.”“In Kosovo, there is a poor business WORK EXPERIENCEclimate and high unemployment rate. Iwant to work toward improving that. I Currently working with Kodak Alariswant to show the world Kosovo can be while completing his MBA with aan asset.” concentration in Finance. In Kosovo, Erblin joined the UN and SwisscontactErblin came to Saunders College though Worldwide, working to improve thethe USAID Kosovo Transformational economic environment and businessLeadership Program. Having studied climate for small businesses.finance and economics at Texas LutheranUniversity and working as a UN projectofficer in Kosovo, Erblin sought greateropportunities for entrepreneurship anddevelopment.Saunders College has been able toexceed Erblin’s expectations. Fromcompeting in the Tiger Tank SaundersChallenge to attending inspiring guestspeakers on campus, Saunders Collegehas provided Erblin a solid platform inwhich to jump-start his professionalcareer goals. For Erblin, the best partabout RIT is the diversity of students. “Inclasses or group work, everyone bringssomething to the table. It provides aninteresting perspective and allows for thebest solutions.”

Marcel Mutsindashyaka MS in Entrepreneurship & Innovative Ventures, ‘17 Kigali, Rwanda “What makes my program the only one of its kind, is that it is taught by experienced professors, successful entrepreneurs and investors who understand the market.”“Studying business at a technical WORK EXPERIENCEuniversity gives me the chance toexchange ideas with my peers from Marcel is an entrepreneur who hasother majors and learn from their a passion for creating solutionsexperiences.” to the most pressing problems in his community. He is a BusinessUtilizing the media and youth population Information Technology professionalto empower his community to spread a with six years’ experience in technologymessage of peace, unity, and reconciliation and media. Marcel is the founder ofafter the genocide in Rwanda, Marcel UMUSEKE IT LTD, a media and ITcreated a social enterprise aimed at company that owns one of the mosthelping the next generation. popular news portals in Rwanda. He is a Mandela Washington Fellow and YaleWithin five years, Marcel built a trusted World Fellow.media and IT company, but it becameharder to manage on a large-scale. Herecognized the need for additional skillsto continue growth.He decided to go back to school, learnthe necessary skills to take his companyto the next level. Saunders Collegeprovided the perfect blend of businessand technology Marcel was looking for,with an emphasis on applied learning.He plans to take his knowledge back toRwanda and apply it to his business.

Ekaterina Kupunia MBA in Human Resource Development, ‘17 Tbilisi, Georgia “The challenging part about being an MBA student is that the studies seem very broad. However, Saunders MBA provides real-world experiences to help assess your knowledge by putting yourself to work.”“As a part of the Saunders community, WORK EXPERIENCEthe best experience is learningcountless valuable life lessons on a Before pursuing graduate studies,regular basis.” Ekaterina spent five years working for the NGO, International ResearchWith a background in humanities, and Exchanges Board (IREX/Georgia).Ekaterina worked at an international During her time at Saunders College,NGO, strengthening the education sector she has interned with MRA - Thein Georgia. Her responsibilities included Management Association as an HR/managing the educational exchange Organizational Development andprograms between Georgia and the U.S. Marketing Specialist.Throughout her work, she found herselfwanting to engage more with the activeand dynamic business sphere.A desire for a business education andpractical experience led her to theFulbright program. She chose RIT andSaunders College of Business for itsemphasis on technology, which preparesher for today’s workplace. Over thecourse of her first year at Saunders,she has appreciated the hands-onexperience, and learning more about dataanalytics and information systems, part ofthe MBA’s core coursework. “The biggestbenefit is the exposure to new and diversesubjects.”

Edward Tetteh MBA in Management and Leadership, ‘18 Accra, Ghana “I am very appreciative that Saunders College has invested in my education and my future.”“My experience has been a dream WORK EXPERIENCEcome true.” Edward worked as a lecturer atBefore pursuing the Fulbright program, Methodist University College GhanaEdward worked as a lecturer in a private specializing in Human Resourceuniversity in Ghana. However, he sought Management and Managementgreater international exposure and Studies before being accepted intonetworking opportunities. Coming to the Fulbright Junior Staff DevelopmentSaunders College of Business, Edward Program.came to realize the investment in hiseducation. The friends he has madethroughout his time in Rochester, and theexpanded knowledge he has gained haveset him up for future successes.Post-graduation, Edward has his sightsset on a Ph.D. program. “The MBA fromSaunders is definitely setting me up forthat.”

Azat Samuratkyzy MBA in Entrepreneurship, ‘18 Karaganda, Kazakhstan “RIT has given me cultural and professional exposure, networking opportunities and lifelong friends.”“I have become much more confident WORK EXPERIENCEin my field. I am looking forward toanother year with Saunders.” Azat worked at PYXERA Global as a Project Coordinator of the United StatesPrior to the Fulbright program, Azat Agency of International Developmentworked as a Project Coordinator for (USAID) Program of Diversification ofa small- and medium-sized business Monotown Economies (DOME).development program. Working withentrepreneurs from six single-industrytowns, Azat helped business leadersfurther develop their existing businessesor create new ventures to become moreindependent and diversified.While at Saunders College, Azat is fillingthe gaps in her knowledge, becomingmore proficient, staying active andmaking many friends from differentcountries. Post-graduation, she hopes togain additional work experience in a newmarket before returning to Kazakhstanto apply what she has learned firsthand.“Whether it will be a big corporation ora small enterprise, I will do my best tocontribute to it and to bring somethingnew.”

Bokang Khoarai MS in Management, 16 Maseru, Lesotho “Most classes have students from different countries and cultures, making for an interesting and informative debate.”“I loved simulations and the capstone WORK EXPERIENCEproject, as they gave me near practicalexperience and a chance to apply the Working at Nalane, an NGO that helpsconcepts taught.” orphans and vulnerable children, is a cause very close to Bokang’sAs a Fulbright scholar, Bokang felt the heart. Following the completion ofcoursework and campus met all his his capstone project exploring theneeds. “RIT met my wish list: It is not in feasibility of an aquaponics industrya major city and offers a diverse student in Lesotho, Bokang will continuepopulation.” Bokang sought a university his career with Nalane and overseethat could offer him access to industry- the implementation of the project toleading faculty and guest speakers that support his local community.could motivate and inspire him.According to Bokang, the distinctadvantage he gained from Saunderswas the access to amazing lecturersand instructors who focused on qualityand applied-learning. “No matter howwell I thought classes were going, theykeep pushing us to do more, our bestwork could always get better and that’swhat they demanded. The small classsizes allowed for better interaction withinstructors.”

Dafine Arifi MS in Accounting, ‘18 Pristina, Kosovo “The professors at Saunders are experienced, devoted and passionate about the work they do. They play a significant role in making classes more interesting since you get to gain knowledge from professionals in the field.”“I was very eager to continue my WORK EXPERIENCEeducation at Saunders Collegeconsidering that I was already aware of After graduating from RIT Kosovo,the quality education RIT provides for Dafine worked at Deloitte as a taxits students.” consultant for the tax and legal department before her acceptanceAfter completing her bachelor’s degree into the United States Agency forat RIT Kosovo majoring in management International Development (USAID)and economics, Dafine began work with Transformational Leadership Program.Deloitte. Being a part of one of RIT’s globalcampuses made her feel very connectedwith the entire RIT community.Dafine plans to return to Kosovo andcontribute to the development of theaccounting and taxation system inKosovo. She will be part of the CitizenCorps program, whose mission is toincrease civic participation for the benefitand the development of society throughvolunteerism. “Taking into account myvivid interest in the accounting field, Iwould be very pleased to share my gainedknowledge and skills with other studentsfrom Kosovo who are planning to continuetheir careers as accountants.”

Karla Cordero MBA in Finance, ‘17 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic “I plan to put into practice all the knowledge and skills Saunders has given me when I return home after graduation.”“I have friends that completed business WORK EXPERIENCEprograms at Saunders and they sharedwith me how great their experiences Before enrolling at Saunders College,were.” Karla worked with a local consulting firm. Her responsibilities includedKarla completed her undergraduate financial project management. “It wascoursework in Industrial Engineering a great experience because I had thebefore going to work for a consulting chance to dig into and learn aboutfirm managing financial and operational different industries and their processesanalysis projects. and recommend improvements.”Through the Ministerio de EducaciónSuperior, Ciencia y Tecnología (MESCyT)scholars program, Karla enrolledin Saunders College. To date, herexpectations of graduate courseworkand life at RIT have been exceeded, fromthe RIT spirit, the professors, the culturaldiversity of the alumni, the environment,and the activities. “My fellow citizens fromother schools at RIT notice that Saundersrocks and I am very proud and happy tobe part of it.”

Ahmed Assaidi MBA in Accounting, ‘18 Sana’a, Yemen “I had the unique privilege to interact with a lot of people from many different nationalities. This exposure has enhanced my cultural awareness and helped me learn more about the world.”“My experience has been amazing. WORK EXPERIENCEI’ve learned a lot, gained new skillsand experiences, and made many new Before coming to the U.S., Ahmedfriends. I feel that I am a more self- worked as the Senior Finance Officerconfident, motivated individual, open at Relief International, an internationalto other cultures.” non-profit agency that provides emergency relief, rehabilitation,Working with Relief International, Ahmed development assistance, and programwas involved in implementing different services to vulnerable communitieshumanitarian projects related to health, worldwide. He was responsible forfood, and education sponsored by leading RI’s finance department indifferent donors such as USAID, UNICEF, Yemen.and WFP. Recognizing the need formore experience, he was fortunate to beselected as a Fulbright scholar.The academic knowledge and experiencehe gained at RIT will help him positivelyinteract with the challenges pertaining tofinancial management in Yemen.“This degree gives me the opportunityto develop a greater understanding ofmanagement and focus on subjectsthat match my aspirations, goals, andinterests. This feeds into my futuregoals of establishing my own financialconsultancy firm.”

International Scholars25 years of Saunders special scholars14+native languages26 scholarsenrolled in Fall 201630 of 300clubs have an international focus20th anniversaryof Global Union, for international students30 yearsRIT hosted international students

66+ 121,000 1,800+ Partner campus Alumni world-wide Students enrolled at RITprograms, including at international campuses seaFall 2681 952016 international students countries represented 5 Global Campuses RIT Dubai - UAE RIT Croatia - Dubrovnik RIT Croatia - Zagreb RIT Kosovo - Pristina RIT China - Beijing & Weihai

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