Campus News

UK MBA Students Train with World Trade Center Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky., (Feb. 13, 2013)The World Trade Center Kentucky (WTC-KY), headquartered in Lexington, recently led an intense training session on the major facets of international trade for MBA students at the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics.

The program, which lasted more than a week, incorporated speakers from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, EX-IM Bank, US Commercial Service, INTEVAC, Alltech, Lexmark, Lectrodryer, Pizza Ovens, Wyatt Tarrant and Combs, LLP, LBX Company, Big Ass Fans, and Ashland Oil.  Students learned about international shipping, receiving payment from overseas clients, U.S. trade policy initiatives, and drafting an international sales contract among other topics.

Gatton MBA Director Harvie Wilkinson, who also serves as director of the Executive Education Center in the college, said of the program, "We are pleased to have partnered with the WTC-KY on our recent Global Business Module.  Our students now have a greater appreciation of the various global issues that companies face as well as having a better insight on certain global strategies.

"Both the quality and breadth of the topics discussed were simply amazing.  The group projects presented by our students during the module really brought together the many areas covered during the course. We are grateful to have had the opportunity of having our students hear from some of the finest experts in global business."

World Trade Center Kentucky President Ed Webb echoed Wilkinson's sentiments. 

"The World Trade Center is honored to work with our partners at UK.  The university's vision and advocacy of training future business professionals is yet another example of its leadership," Webb said. "By demonstrating the power of international trade and exports to its MBA students, UK is positioning the Commonwealth and our leaders to better grasp and successfully navigate the new global economy." 

The students were organized into groups by country and tasked with developing a market entry strategy for Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale in their respective country.  The students  presented their market entry strategy to fellow students, representatives from Alltech, and other business representatives during the last two days of the program.

"We really enjoyed the team projects in this module," said Adrienne Cates, one of the Gatton MBA students in the program.  "Not only was it fun but we learned a lot about the many export issues involved when selling a product abroad."

The World Trade Center and UK expressed appreciation to speakers from the local and regional business community for their active involvement in the program.

Webb further noted, "We look forward to working with the university in the future to support the development of international trade professionals in our business community."

 

MEDIA

CONTACT:  Carl Nathe, 859-257-3200; carl.nathe@uky.edu