Trade with the Far East captures student's imagination Yvonne Comell Is not one to let opportunities slip by. "The only way you learn something is to get in there and pitch," she says. Cornell, a senior in PSU's School of Business Administration. is spending as much time in the intemational business community as • .... ~ in classrooms this year. She recentty completed an intemship with the International Trade Administration of This spring, Cornell entered the course on Export Planning for Executives, designed by James Manning, professor of business administration. She Is working with Sidereal Corporation, a manufactUrer of advanced communications equipment. According to Stdereal President James Mater, "Yvonne is helping us gain a beHer understanding of the international marketplace, helping us assess this one piece of the marketing puzzle." Yvonne Cornell spends many hours at the International Trede Administration, pouring through Foreign T.-.de St.tt.tk::IOf studying Chinese on mlerofiche a. part of her research Into forfign marketa. International studies center will build on existing programs The new Strategic Plan for Oregon's State System of Higher Education designates Portland State for further development of programs in International business and marl<eting, and establishment of an area studies center for Asian countries and culture. While the state·level recognition signified in the Plan is new, the University has been moving in these areas. particularly international mar1<eting, for some time. The most recent evidence of this activity is an exciting proposal for establishment of a new institute at PSU, concerned with international trade and Investment. The proposal for the Institute was in the sensitive stages of discussion between the University and the local and Intemational business communities at Perspective press time; so, while it Is hoped that the InstiMe will be a reality by fall, there has been little public discussion. In general, the proposed institute would foster education in the fields of Internabonal business, with a special emphasis on the Pacific Rim countries. Both undergraduate and graduate programs are envisioned. drawing on the three academic areas of business, language and area studies. Community service and applied research also will be major components of the proposed institute. Programs in languages, area studies and inlemaUonai business would not be new to PSU. The School of Business Administration is recognized as being responsive to the International business community by supplying industry WIth trained individuals in International business and developing seminars and special programs for those already In the field. For more than 20 years, PSU has offered a certfficate in International business and, for many years, has had successful internship programs with the International DivIsion of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Oregon Development Council. The PSU chapter of International Association of Students in Business and Economics Is one of the oldest and most active in the U.S. This summer, more than 20 students from foreign universities will be hosted by PSU as part of the program while a number of Portland students travel to traineeships throughout the Pacific Rim, Weslern and Eastern Europe. In addition 10 the formal academk: programs, PSU has been involved with various government agencies and private firms in developing educational opportunities for the professional community. One program, Export Planning for Executives, brings PSU students together with local executives to investigate potential international mar1<ets. More than 225 regional firms have benefited from this program. The University also was instrumental in founding the World Trade Seminar and Export Documentation Seminar. In other areas, PSU has certificate programs in Central European, Latin American and Middle East Studies, and offers courses in more than a dozen languages, Including Chinese, Japanese and Korean. In the designation of PSU as a center for intematJonal trade and area studies, the Strategic Plan Is seen as andorsing lhe work already done and enooureging further development the U.S. Department of Commerce and now is WOf1<ing with an area communications firm on intemationaJ marketing through PSU·s Export Planning for Executives program. While at the Department of Commerce, Cornell says she learned to trace products and commodities through the labyrinth of foreign trade regulations (some 26 pieces of documentation are required 10 export anything out of the country). She worked alongside trade specialists, meeting with exporters and learning the international business from the Inside. The InlernaUonaJ trade internship wasn't enough for Cornell, hoWever. She also volunteered to take advantage of what she terms "a singular opportunity" to help plan Once into her current project, Cornell found herself back at the Department of Commerce to begin her foreign market research. "Ninety percent of intemational marketing c:onsuttation is in the researdl." she says. When she isn't inteming or taking business classes, Yvonne Comell studies Chinese, "8 very complex language." It is a practical move for Cornell, who listens to Chinese tapes during her commute 10 Portland from her Newberg home. "h's part of my responsibility. I think that I would function over there a lot more effectively as an American and an American business person," she says. But she also approaches the "I'm strugglng with all the strokes of this many-thousandsyear-old language in this time of plco seconds: · and produoa an export trading company conference. Some 500 International business representatives were at the conference, the best attended of its kind In Ihe nation. Working on the conference, she said, gave her the chanoe to work directly with top local business leaders. Immediatety aHer her Internship, Cornell 1001< advantage of another learning opportunity. "I vofunteered 10 help one of the trade specialists with a barterlcounter·trade conference. I thought that ~ I would volunteer to help, I would learn." Barter/counter.trade is a very important concept for intemational marketing, particularly with developing countries. It is of interest to Cornell because China is her personaJ focus. GET CAMPUS CALENDAR "Iumnt Bpnphl'> C.ud 2lq-~q~8 language with a sense of wonder. "It's rather ironic. I'm struggling with all the strokes of this many-thousands-year--old language in this time of plco seconds." Her interest In the Far East has been growfng for several years. She lived for a time in Japan and, while at Portland Community College. volunteered (again) to tutor Asian students in ESL classes. "I like the Asian people," she says. "I feel very comfortable with them. And, in international business, Asia has the best job potential." Comell hopes to complete her bachelo~s degree this fall and, while not certain, believes she will go on for an MBA, Including further studies about China. 9
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