Learning about the global side of business

Business is becoming an increasingly global enterprise, as 14 business students recently discovered.
The students learned firsthand about the inner workings of international business during a trip to New York City organized by the College of Business and Economics (CBE). They toured the UN’s diplomatic headquarters and received a briefing from a UN executive on global business. They also visited two international investment firms, Permal Capital Management and Cornerstone Capital Management.
As part of the university’s partnership with the UN, Lehigh students regularly attend UN conferences, private official briefings and educational seminars. They may also serve as interns at any nongovernmental organization (NGO) office worldwide.
At Permal Capital Management, the business students were hosted by Tom DeLitto ’75 and Greg LaFiura ’98. DeLitto is senior executive vice president and vice chairman of the Permal Group.
“I really enjoyed visiting Permal Capital Management, particularly because of its prestigious international presence and because the two alumni clearly showed the opportunities and advantages of going global with a business,” said Paige Mitchell ’15, a supply chain management major.
A working lunch during their visit gave the students direct exposure to the international business environment, said Jim Santanasto, director of The Rauch Center for Business Communication and coordinator of the trip.
The advantages of going international

Finally, the group visited Cornerstone Capital Management for a program hosted by Edward Ramos ’89, Cornerstone’s senior vice president and lead portfolio manager for international equity.
The Cornerstone officials focused mainly on the advantages of buying different stocks and investing globally, said Katie Kiewel ’15. One of the greatest benefits of bringing a business to an international scale is that it generates a broader customer base and expands growth, she added.
Santanasto said he enjoyed witnessing the interplay between the alumni and other investment professionals and the current Lehigh students.
Miller said the trip to New York City “reinforced the fact that it’s important to go global and showed how much businesspeople truly value international experience.”
The trip served as a pilot for a Spring Break experience that will meet the CBE’s goal of making international learning opportunities available to all students.
“We want every student to have an international experience, and our goal is to provide a variety of accessible opportunities,” says Katrina Zalatan, associate dean and director of undergraduate programs in the CBE.
“Thanks to Lehigh’s relationship with the UN and the support of our Dean’s Advisory Council, our students are able to gain this international experience right in their own backyard.”