AUK Students Visit US Capital

During Spring Break, Business Division Head, Dr. Mohsen Bagnied, assisted by Professor Marcia Denny and Mrs. Loubna Bagnied, led 41, mostly senior, marketing students on a study abroad trip to Washington DC. The trip had at its core a three-day MBA-level seminar in international marketing presented by Drs. Saad Laraqui and Husein Abdul-Hamid, both professors at the University of Maryland University College and executive officers of the Hancock International Institute. The seminar focused on a team case analysis and project presentation involving regional economic integration in the MENA region. The seminar culminated in visits to the International Monetary Fund and the United States Chamber of Commerce offices as well as a visit to the Albright Stonebridge Group, an international marketing-strategy consulting firm for global businesses.

While in Washington, the students toured the beautiful Library of Congress building, visited the United States Supreme Court Building, the United States Capital Building, and, with the use of passes provided by the office of Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, sat in the U.S. Senate Gallery for a first-hand view of the Senate floor. In addition, our participant students toured the huge University of Maryland Campus and visited the University's Smith School of Business where they were addressed by Sam Kang, Associate Director of MBA and MS Recruiting, as well as several other faculty members.

The students then travelled by bus to New York City where they experienced spring in Central Park on foot, a look at the Empire State Building, Wall Street and the Twin Towers Memorial, a view of the Statute of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry, and Time Square at night.

Back in Washington DC our group was addressed by Dr. Patricia K. Kabra, Deputy Director of the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. State Department. Our last day, began with a visit to the Middle East Institute and concluded with an exquisite reception graciously hosted by his Excellency Ambassador Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at his residence at the Embassy of Kuwait in Washington DC. In addition, those in attendance at the reception included Dr. Hassan Nasrallah, Embassy Cultural Director, Dr. Hamad Al-Adwani, Cultural Attache, Dr. Abeer Al-Hooli, Cultural Attache, and Ms. Sherouq Sadeqi, Bureau Chief of KUNA.

Air travel for the Washington DC Study Abroad Spring Break course was funded by MENA Holding Company of Kuwait and our sincere thanks goes out to MENA. In addition, MENA kindly provided writing supplies, jackets, T-shirts, bags and umbrellas which were put to good use on a particularly rainy, spring day on the Capitol Mall. ZAIN has offered to cover the seminar expensive and we greatly appreciate that commitment as well.
 

A collective image of the AUK students