Ebeid's experience adds global flavor to UW-P
Ebeid's experience adds global flavor to UW-Parkside
Business dean thinks internationally with new education center
Note: The following article originally appeared in the March 16, edition of The Business Journal. It was written by reporter Rachel McCormick-Jennings. It is reproduced here with permission.
With more corporate deals occurring on a global scale in today's marketplace, it is increasingly important that college business majors get experience in worldwide business cultures.
That's why when Fred Ebeid took over as the new dean of the School of Business and Technology at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside last July, he made it his No. 1 goal to enhance the school's global business education curriculum.
"The idea to enhance the school's offerings in international business studies will improve education for both students and staff," Ebeid said.
Ebeid, 63, developed the Global Education Center for students and faculty. The center will act as a resource for students and faculty interested in researching global business practices and learning about international business education opportunities like traveling abroad to business schools, Ebeid said.
The center opened in October 2006, just three months into Ebeid's tenure contract. Ebeid appointed Jay Sounderpandian, a professor of business, as the center's director.
Ebeid and his staff are working to build relationships with universities in India and China by reaching out to contacts at those countries' universities, holding conference calls and planning to visit schools.
Ideally, Ebeid hopes to send students and faculty abroad for one or two weeks to experience training at universities and businesses. In return, he hopes foreign business professors and business professionals will visit UW-Parkside to give guest lectures and learn about American business.
Students who travel abroad typically study for a semester. However, the majority of Parkside's students work between 30 and 40 hours a week and cannot afford to take unpaid time, Ebeid said.
"These are two countries that are very important right now in terms of international trade and development," Ebeid said. "More companies are exporting goods and services to these areas so we feel our students should be prepared to work with business professionals in those areas."
Ebeid also is looking at possible partnerships with schools in western Europe and Mexico.
Last year, prior to Ebeid's arrival at Parkside, the school began building a relationship with the University of Applied Sciences in Wolfenbuettel, Germany. In September, a computer science professor visited the university in Wolfenbuettel for two weeks where he gave guest lectures on computer science. In return, a professor from Germany will visit Parkside this semester and talk to students and faculty about his university's program and how the country uses technology.
FUNDING SCHOLARSHIPS
Ebeid
would like to raise between $10,000 and $15,000 to provide students and faculty
members with scholarships to travel abroad. There is no time frame in which the
school hopes to raise the money, he said.
The response from students and faculty on extending the school's international business program has been positive, Ebeid said.
"The enhancement of our global education curriculum will only make Parkside's reputation stronger," Ebeid said. "We'll be producing well-educated business professionals who will work in the community and, therefore, make Wisconsin more economically viable."
This won't be the first time Ebeid has expanded a global education program at a university.
Before joining Parkside, Ebeid served as dean at the College of Business and Technology at Western Illinois University in Macomb. Ill., where he also helped develop the school's international business education curriculum He also was a faculty member of the university's marketing and finance department.
One of Ebeid's accomplishments at Western Illinois was starting the trilateral master's degree in business administration program, said Joseph Rallo, provost of Western Illinois University.
Under the program, students are immersed in three different business cultures: American, Mexican and Canadian. Students will spend one semester studying and living in Canada, one semester in the United States, one semester in Mexico and a fourth-semester internship in one of the three North American countries.
Ebeid made Western Illinois more attractive to students from the United States and abroad, Rallo said.
"He was definitely a commodity here and when be went to Parkside, they got the whole package," Rallo said.
Ebeid left Western University for Parkside because he felt it was a good opportunity to help another school reach the next level of academics, Ebeid said.
He succeeds Marwan Wafa, who resigned from Parkside for personal reasons, said Gerald Greenfield, Parkside's interim provost and vice chancellor,
Ebeid was chosen for the position over five other candidates, Greenfield said.
"We chose him because of his vast experience, strong record of accomplishments and thought he would be the right person to move the university forward," Greenfield said.
Prior to a career in education, Ebeid worked in financial management at General Motors Corp. in his hometown of Detroit.
Ebeid earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan at Dearborn, an MBA from Wayne State University, Detroit; and a doctorate in finance from the University of Illinois,
In addition to expanding international business education at Parkside, Eheid also plans to grow partnerships with area businesses.
"I'd like to see more regional executives spend the day here and give guest lectures and seminars to our students because it provides our students and faculty the opportunity to learn about issues facing business today.'' Ebeid said. "If we get more participation from businesses, I feel that our students will be better prepared to deal with those problems facing business when they graduate."
FRED EBEIDPOSITION: Dean of the School of Business and Technology, University of Wisconsin-Parkside
AGE: 63
FAMILY: Two children: Michael, 37, and Cynthia, 34
HOBBIES: Reading, exercising and watching competitive sports
FAVORITE CAR: Buick Century
LAST BOOK READ: "The World's Flat" by Thomas Friedman