Executive MBA students visit Poland, the Netherlands, celebrate one of GVSU's oldest international partnerships

Grand Valley marked 50 years of partnership with the Krakow University of Economics last week as its Executive MBA cohort visited Krakow, Poland, to learn more about the economics of the European Union and the impact of the war in neighboring Ukraine.

The visit was part of a nine-day international business experience that also included tours of businesses in Krakow and Amsterdam along with historical and cultural attractions, including the memorial and museum at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps.

The international trip is a component of the two-year EMBA program, a holistic, intensive learning experience designed for experienced professionals who aspire to positions of corporate leadership at the highest levels.

The trip was led by Seidman College of Business Dean Diana Lawson, with support from Steve Dahlquist, associate professor of marketing, and Erika Murphy, director of executive and corporate education.

“The international trip provides our EMBA cohort with rich, impactful cultural experiences while broadening their horizons and perspectives about the global business community,” Lawson said. “Our students consistently say the international business unit is a life-changing experience that broadens their perspective and challenges them in unexpected and powerful ways. For many, it is their first experience abroad.”

In Poland, other stops included Admind, an award-winning marketing and communications firm; Comarch, one of Europe’s leading providers of business IT solutions; Tyskie, one of Poland’s largest brewers; and IT/AI giant IBM’s Krakow operations.

In the Netherlands, the group visited the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK; Maersk, which operates the largest seaport in Europe; energy solutions provider E.On; startup incubator BlueCity; and the Van Gogh Museum, among other experiences.

“The EMBA program is broadening my perspective and providing me with the opportunity to position myself to take the next steps in my career,” said Mackenzie Wellman, vice president of Trailer Equipment and Trailer X-Press, a family-owned business in Byron Center. “The international trip was an eye-opening cultural and professional advancement experience in so many ways. The visits provided rare and unique opportunities to learn from a diverse mix of business leaders, while also learning more about the cultural history of the areas we visited.”

The EMBA program is currently accepting applications for its 2024 cohort, which starts in the fall. For more information on how to apply, visit the EMBA website. 

-- Chris Knape is assistant vice president for University Communications - media and public relations at GVSU and a student in the EMBA cohort.