ACU Today - Fall 1999 News

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Top college guides rank university as a one of the best in America again

Students' Association to mark 75th anniversary at Homecoming

Exchange program in Mexico, Abilene provides real-world, hands-on learning

Learning to serve: Welcome Week freshmen take time to help

Lectureship 2000 to refocus Christians for God's work in the new millennium

Faculty Scholar Profile: Dr. John Willis

Exchange program in Mexico, Abilene provides real-world, hands-on learning

Working in companies in Mexico this summer and mentoring students from Mexico in Abilene taught ACU students lessons they might never learn in the classroom.

"I've had great classes, and I was well prepared for the actual work," Jennifer Baker, international business major from Lubbock, said. "But until you have the experience, you don't realize how much you have to learn. It was incredible."

Baker partnered with several other ACU students in the two-month program this summer.

ACU established the exchange program with the Universidad Autonoma de la Laguna in Torreon, Mexico, under the direction of Ted Presley ('68), assistant professor and executive director of ACU's Center for International and Intercultural Education.

During the past school year, 12 ACU students went to Torreon to study Spanish and Mexican culture. And UAL sent the same number of students to Abilene to study English and American culture.

Through this relationship, the summer internship program evolved. Dr. Malcolm Coco, associate professor of management sciences, spearheaded a College of Business Administration exchange program where five ACU students were paired with five UAL students.

The pairs spent a month in Abilene working for local corpor-ations, then spent a month as interns for Mexico-based businesses.

This international student exchange caught the attention of Abilene Reporter-News business writer Anna Derocher, and she wrote a five-week series on the business students and what they experienced in Abilene. Here are excerpts from two of her reports.
* * *
Translating medical policies into Spanish wasn't the easiest thing to do, even for someone fluent in two languages.

Carlos Leal discovered "pro-rated merit increase" and "cardiac catheterization" don't have Spanish translations. But Leal, a UAL student, and Brittney Binder, an ACU student, developed a system.

When Leal stumbled across a word in English he couldn't translate, Binder gave him a substitute word with the same meaning he could translate.

"I explain in English," Binder said, admitting her Spanish wasn't quite as good as Leal's English.

The two, along with ACU's Brett Roberson and UAL's Karla Pina, had a little different situation than that of the other internship participants.

In addition to Leal's and Binder's occasional partnership, the four worked individually.

Leal, a marketing student, updated the hospital's Web page. He found and researched information to put on Hendrick Medical Center's Web site.

"For me, this internship is to learn a lot of things from another country and discover how things are run in a big organization," Leal said.

Binder redesigned Hendrick's employee handbook to make it more reader-friendly.

Roberson worked at Lee Medical Supply, researching ways to implement a new cost system.

Pina, a marketing student, was busy in the community promoting the hospital at fund-raising events for Children's Miracle Network.
* * *
Jason Groves and Begona Salas wanted to understand how to reach the Hispanic market before they packed their bags and headed to Mexico.

Groves, an ACU senior, and Salas, a UAL senior, spent time working on various marketing projects for First National Bank of Abilene. Then in Mexico, they served as interns at Bancomext, a major bank in Torreon.

While in Abilene, they were asked to formulate ideas to help First National Bank better serve its Hispanic customers and attract new Spanish-speaking customers.

Salas said banks and other large corporations in Torreon hire English-speaking employees. She believes U.S. businesses need to do just the opposite &endash; hire more Spanish-speaking workers.

"It is easier for Americans to get hired in Mexico than it is for me here in Abilene," Salas said.

That's why Salas was happy to help develop ideas to dissolve the communication barrier between the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking Abilenians.

The two students redesigned a brochure in Spanish, designed billboards, talked with Hispanic business people in the community, and worked at a new First National Bank location in a local supermarket.

For Salas, working in a U.S. bank was unique.

"The people here are very fast, always moving fast," Salas said.

Overall, the experience was rewarding for Groves and Salas.

"For me the most valuable experience has been learning more about her culture," Groves said. "Through that, I have understood more about my country's values. You start asking yourself why you do those things you do. You won't get this kind of experience anywhere else."

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Last Update: Sept. 17, 1999
Page maintained by Jeremy Parish, parishj@nicanor.acu.edu
Questions to Ron Hadfield, hadfieldr@nicanor.acu.edu
http://www.acu.edu/acu-today/fall99/news02.html


		. Top college guides rank university as a one of the best in America again Students' Association to mark 75th anniversary at Homecoming Exchange program in Mexico, Abilene provides real-world, hands-on learning Learning to serve: Welcome Week freshmen take time to help Lectureship 2000 to refocus Christians for God's work in the new millennium Faculty Scholar Profile: Dr. John Willis Exchange program in Mexico, Abilene provides real-world, hands-on learning Working in companies in Mexico this summer and mentoring students from Mexico in Abilene taught ACU students lessons they might never learn in the classroom. "I've had great classes, and I was well prepared for the actual work," Jennifer Baker, international business major from Lubbock, said. "But until you have the experience, you don't realize how much you have to learn. It was incredible." Baker partnered with several other ACU students in the two-month program this summer. ACU established the exchange program with the Universidad Autonoma de la Laguna in Torreon, Mexico, under the direction of Ted Presley ('68), assistant professor and executive director of ACU's Center for International and Intercultural Education. During the past school year, 12 ACU students went to Torreon to study Spanish and Mexican culture. And UAL sent the same number of students to Abilene to study English and American culture. Through this relationship, the summer internship program evolved. Dr. Malcolm Coco, associate professor of management sciences, spearheaded a College of Business Administration exchange program where five ACU students were paired with five UAL students. The pairs spent a month in Abilene working for local corpor-ations, then spent a month as interns for Mexico-based businesses. This international student exchange caught the attention of Abilene Reporter-News business writer Anna Derocher, and she wrote a five-week series on the business students and what they experienced in Abilene. Here are excerpts from two of her reports. * * * Translating medical policies into Spanish wasn't the easiest thing to do, even for someone fluent in two languages. Carlos Leal discovered "pro-rated merit increase" and "cardiac catheterization" don't have Spanish translations. But Leal, a UAL student, and Brittney Binder, an ACU student, developed a system. When Leal stumbled across a word in English he couldn't translate, Binder gave him a substitute word with the same meaning he could translate. "I explain in English," Binder said, admitting her Spanish wasn't quite as good as Leal's English. The two, along with ACU's Brett Roberson and UAL's Karla Pina, had a little different situation than that of the other internship participants. In addition to Leal's and Binder's occasional partnership, the four worked individually. Leal, a marketing student, updated the hospital's Web page. He found and researched information to put on Hendrick Medical Center's Web site. "For me, this internship is to learn a lot of things from another country and discover how things are run in a big organization," Leal said. Binder redesigned Hendrick's employee handbook to make it more reader-friendly. Roberson worked at Lee Medical Supply, researching ways to implement a new cost system. Pina, a marketing student, was busy in the community promoting the hospital at fund-raising events for Children's Miracle Network. * * * Jason Groves and Begona Salas wanted to understand how to reach the Hispanic market before they packed their bags and headed to Mexico. Groves, an ACU senior, and Salas, a UAL senior, spent time working on various marketing projects for First National Bank of Abilene. Then in Mexico, they served as interns at Bancomext, a major bank in Torreon. While in Abilene, they were asked to formulate ideas to help First National Bank better serve its Hispanic customers and attract new Spanish-speaking customers. Salas said banks and other large corporations in Torreon hire English-speaking employees. She believes U.S. businesses need to do just the opposite &endash; hire more Spanish-speaking workers. "It is easier for Americans to get hired in Mexico than it is for me here in Abilene," Salas said. That's why Salas was happy to help develop ideas to dissolve the communication barrier between the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking Abilenians. The two students redesigned a brochure in Spanish, designed billboards, talked with Hispanic business people in the community, and worked at a new First National Bank location in a local supermarket. For Salas, working in a U.S. bank was unique. "The people here are very fast, always moving fast," Salas said. Overall, the experience was rewarding for Groves and Salas. "For me the most valuable experience has been learning more about her culture," Groves said. "Through that, I have understood more about my country's values. You start asking yourself why you do those things you do. You won't get this kind of experience anywhere else." Page 1 \| Page 2 \| Page 3 \| Page 4

		News \| Sports \| Hilltop View \| Second Glance Back Issues \| Feedback \| Alumni Bookcase \| Tipsheet \| Our Staff .
		Last Update: Sept. 17, 1999 Page maintained by Jeremy Parish, parishj@nicanor.acu.edu Questions to Ron Hadfield, hadfieldr@nicanor.acu.edu http://www.acu.edu/acu-today/fall99/news02.html