Finance students get hands-on leadership lessons at Global Leadership Summit

In business, the connections and experiences outside the classroom are as critical as the material learned. Opportunities for students to connect with others help build relationships and apply class material in a real-world setting.

In February, Ellie Fischer and Kristin Meyer, both senior finance students at MSU Moorhead, represented the Paseka School of Business in Washington D.C., at the Beta Gamma Sigma Global Leadership Summit. This summit gathers students from the world’s top AACSB-accredited schools in the world to learn from speakers and make lasting connections in their fields.

During the summit, student teams worked on a case study of a business struggling with leadership. Teams then collaborated on written and video proposals to solve the business’s issues, and the top five finalists presented them to everyone involved. These groups involved people from around the globe; Ellie and Kristin had the opportunity to work with students from Peru and Hong Kong.

“I valued everyone’s collaboration, bringing their different ideas together and discussing how can we work together to make the best decision from all perspectives involved,” Kristin says.

Ellie is president of MSUM’s Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) chapter president. BGS is an honors society for the top 10 percent of students in the Paseka School of Business. Students get real-world opportunities outside of the classroom to apply learned material.

BS in Finance

“Beta Gamma Sigma is a great way to become involved with other business majors. It provides more opportunities to develop your skills in business beyond classroom applications,” Ellie and Kristin say.

While Kristin came to MSUM knowing about the strength of the business program and Ellie came in undeclared, both quickly fell in love with the campus.

“The moment I stepped on campus it felt right,” Ellie says.

“I knew I wanted a strong education in business. I toured and fell in love with the school, and it felt like home. It’s where I am meant to be,” Kristin says.

Beyond the campus atmosphere, both believe the education and experiences they’ve received in the Paseka School of Business have tremendously benefited them. They especially love classes taught by Associate Professor Siwei Zhu, whose classes delivered hands-on learning while keeping information exciting and students well informed.

The business school also requires an experiential learning component, which involves getting experience outside of the classroom. During their sophomore year, both Ellie and Kristin traveled to Germany and learned about international business practices.

“Experiencing businesses outside the country and seeing how different businesses work further solidified my choice to be in this major,” Kristin says.

When asked about their favorite part of this degree, both agree, “Take the opportunities presented outside the classroom; it’s worth it.”