College of Business Administration, UCA Awarded $ 210 k FIPSE Grant

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) was awarded $ 206, 967 including $ 24,358 this year from the Funds for Improvement of Postsecondary Education of the United States Department of Education.  The funding is part of a four-year grant from the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education.  The goal of this program is to better prepare business students to participate in and promote the goals of the North American Free Trade Agreement through reinforcement of foreign language competency, enhancement of  cross-cultural awareness, and consideration of adapting to the represented cultures.
UCA is the lead institution in a consortium of six institutions based in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.  At the College of Business Administration of UCA, the funds will be used to provide intensive language training to business students and provide funds for a select number of students to study in Canada and Mexico.  An innovative and integral component of the proposal involves the use of technology by faculty to teach classes simultaneously at three sites.
Dr. Gabriel Esteban, Dean of the College of Business Administration at UCA states that "The grant will allow the College of Business Administration to continue its efforts to provide a learning environment that enables students to succeed in the workplace.  The innovative combination of technology integration and cultural adaptability is typical of learning efforts at the college."
Dr. Rebecca Gatlin-Watts, College of Business Administration program administrator, was quoted as saying, "The grant will prepare students for the NAFTA economy by promoting cross-cultural, foreign language, and international trade skills through trilateral virtual teaming, student professor mobility, and internships.  It provides an opportunity for both MBA and undergraduate students to enhance their cultural awareness of Mexico and Canada and to encourage their study of a foreign language. A number of select students will be awarded stipends to study in Mexico and Canada."
UCA received notification of the award from U.S. Representative Vic Snyder.  "We are appreciative of Congressman Snyder along with Senators Lincoln and Hutchinson for working to obtain this funding for UCA," said Dr. John W. Smith.  Last year's recipients of the program grant included University of California at Los Angeles, University of Arizona, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Arkansas.