The Cameron School of Business recognizes the importance of exposing students to diverse, multicultural perspectives in a global business environment. Many CSB students take advantage of the opportunity to internationalize their education by spending a portion of their academic career abroad. Between the number of CSB students who study abroad and the number of international students who come to UNC Wilmington to study business, Cameron is the largest contributor to on-campus internationalization at UNCW. The CSB seeks to provide multiple opportunities for students to study abroad during the summer, as well as occasions for a semester or an entire academic year abroad. By participating in study abroad, students gain understanding about cultural differences in academic, business and social situations; grow in maturity; gain self-confidence; enjoy opportunities to practice speaking another language; and gain new perspectives on the world of business and society.
 
Every summer the CSB offers summer courses in Europe, specifically in England, France, Germany and Spain. These courses are taught by CSB faculty as well as international faculty. Students are offered course options that meet their business core and general education requirements, and occasionally their concentration requirements. A student can continue to successfully make progress towards graduation while gaining important and invaluable international experience.
 
This summer, 134 CSB students studied overseas. Those who studied in Bremen, Germany took two courses during their time abroad, and had the opportunity to grow their cultural knowledge, as their classes contained students from five to seven different countries. In addition to “in-class” learning, students visited a Volkswagen production facility, the headquarters for Beck’s Brewery and shared numerous cultural experiences with local students. In England, the summer programs include tours of a number of businesses as well.  Over the course of the last three summers, students have visited: Vauxhall Motors; Eisai Co. Ltd., a global pharmaceutical company; Bank of England; Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising; Tesco Corporation; and Emirates Stadium (Arsenal FC).
 
While students abroad learn much in the classroom, the learning experiences that take place outside of the classroom are arguably just as invaluable, if not more so. Their experiences add value to their resumes and better prepare them for the real world of business after graduation.  Furthermore, statistics consistently reveal that study abroad graduates find employment sooner and with higher salaries when compared to the general college graduate population. In addition, employers feel that study abroad experiences add communication skills, adaptability and global insight, all highly desirable qualities for a future employee.
 
 
Robert T. Burrus, Jr., Ph.D., is the dean of the Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, named in June 2015.  Burrus joined the UNCW faculty in 1998. Prior to his current position, Burrus was interim dean, associate dean of undergraduate studies and the chair of the department of economics and finance. The Cameron School of Business has approximately 60 full-time faculty members and 20 administrative and staff members. The AACSB-accredited business school currently enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate students in three degree programs and 200 graduate students in four degree programs. The school also houses the prestigious Cameron Executive Network, a group of more than 200 retired and practicing executives that provide one-on-one mentoring for Cameron students.  To learn more about the Cameron School of Business, please visit http://csb.uncw.edu/. Questions and comments can be sent to [email protected].