University investment comes in many forms: from endowments and successful alumni taking pride in their alma mater to federally funded grants and impact initiatives of private companies. For the past four years, UPS and The UPS Foundation, headquartered in Atlanta, have invested in the Folks Center for International Business at the USC Darla Moore School of Business by providing transformative support to underrepresented students studying international business.
Thanks to UPS, the Folks Center has received $600,000 for the UPS Global Scholars Program, one of the most prestigious scholarships at the Moore School today. These funds provide critical undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships that support tuition, expenses, study abroad opportunities and other projects related to international business.
The primary goal of the UPS Global Scholars Program is to increase participation of underrepresented populations in international business. Whether it is elevating more women within typically male-dominated industries like 2020-21 recipient Hannah Harmon, whose graduate career goal is to achieve an executive position in supply chain. To increase underrepresented minorities in business, William Mendoza, a first-generation college student and a 2019-20 recipient, has keen aspirations of expanding the reach of his family’s coffee farm in Mexico to the U.S. and beyond. The UPS scholarship gives them and many just like them an alleviation of the financial burden that may have hindered their ability to achieve their goals.
In addition to financial support, opportunities arise during the academic year for special access to UPS as a UPS Global Scholar. These opportunities can offer a valuable set of experiences to understand more about the diversified paths in international business. They can include meetings with executives, consulting projects, special seminars with global insights, opportunities for UPS internships and site visits in the U.S. and/or overseas to engage with company managers.
Current Folks Center Global Advisory Board member Romaine Seguin, president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding, and previous member Jim Barber, a former UPS chief operating officer, saw the need for diverse talent in the international business community through diversity and have championed this program. As of fall 2021, this program has provided 39 undergraduate students and 29 graduate students the ability to pursue their international business education and careers. These exceptionally talented individuals bring their diverse backgrounds and experiences to international business and add value to their organizations.
At the end of September 2021, UPS Global Scholars will have the opportunity to meet Jochen Mueller, vice president for human resources at UPS International. Mueller, based in Dusseldorf, Germany, is making a special trip to the USC campus to visit with the scholars. The students will celebrate their scholastic achievements and share with UPS how the company’s investment is making a truly meaningful difference in their lives.
Read more IB stories in the Sept. 2021 "The Edge" E-Newsletter.