VCU news

By Tom Gresham

In a rare event that crossed cultures and continents, the VCU School of Business and Christ University in Bangalore, India, hosted a visit today with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell that focused on economic and educational partnerships between India and Virginia.

McDonnell, who is traveling in India this week on a creation and economic development marketing mission, spoke to a large audience of students, faculty and community leaders at Christ University.

Meanwhile, at VCU’s Snead Hall, VCU School of Business students, faculty and staff gathered with local business leaders to view the proceedings on a streaming broadcast.

The arrangement allowed for speakers in both locations to participate in the discussion. Audiences at each university also were able to observe their counterparts 9,000 miles away.

Speaking to both audiences at the outset, Van Wood, Philip Morris Chair in International Business and professor of marketing at VCU, who was located at Snead Hall, said the event demonstrated “how technology can make globalization a reality.”

McDonnell emphasized that the event showcased the type of global interaction that has far-reaching benefits.

“We are here celebrating this incredible relationship between America and India,” said McDonnell, who was joined by Virginia Secretary of Commerce Jim Cheng and Secretary of Agriculture Todd

Haymore, among other state officials. “Higher education and business and cultural exchange. These are the key ingredients to strengthening our marvelous democracies.”

A number of VCU representatives traveled to Bangalore and were in attendance at Christ University, including Ed Grier, dean of the VCU School of Business, and Nanda Rangan, chair of the VCU Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate, who both spoke during the event, and VCU Board of Visitors members Kamlesh Dave and Sudhakar Shenoy.

In his introduction of McDonnell, Grier said that the governor’s efforts in India were designed to develop economic partnerships that could benefit businesses and workers in both India and

Virginia, including students like those in attendance who would soon be entering the workforce.

McDonnell said he viewed economic development and global business partnerships as important elements in ensuring “the future prosperity of the world,” creating natural ties and better understanding among different countries.

The event highlighted the collaboration that has grown between VCU and Christ University. A notable example is the new dual-degree program that enables a collection of Christ’s business students to study extensively at both Christ and VCU, earning an M.B.A. degree from Christ and an M.S. degree in either global marketing or finance from VCU.

Many of the inaugural class of 55 students in the program at VCU this year attended the Snead Hall side of the event, while a number of the 65 students who will be traveling to VCU with the program next year were in the Christ audience. McDonnell answered questions from both sets of students at the conclusion of his speech.

McDonnell called the dual-degree program “a great method of economic and cultural exchange that puts the best and brightest minds in classrooms in both Richmond and Bangalore.” He said exchanges like the VCU-Christ University one not only create strong relationships between countries but also spark innovations.

Thomas Mathew, vice chancellor of Christ University, extolled the virtues of studying abroad, noting its capability for opening minds to a new range of possibilities. He said Christ students participating in the dual-degree program are “gaining a cutting-edge, global education in the field of business.”

Steve Markel, vice chairman of the Markel Corporation and chair of the VCU School of Business Foundation, said VCU and Christ University can take pride in the critical service that they are providing to students and the business community.

“Together we are training the world’s next generation of business leaders,” Markel said.