Following a very successful virtual program in 2021, the Visiting International Professional Program (VIPP) at Michigan State University (MSU) is delighted to welcome the 2022 German Fulbright Summer Institute to campus! 30 Fulbright undergraduate students from across Germany will undertake a 3-week immersive intercultural exchange program with collaborative projects.
The Institute will expose the students to academic life and study in an American university through a number of distinct but interrelated curricular courses. These are Intercultural Communication and Leadership, American Culture and Society, Entrepreneurship and Business Case Studies, and Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Case studies, group discussions and hand-on collaborative projects are designed to enable students to gain new knowledge and skills as well as to practice in group settings. The in-person program will also take the students to visit some of the most iconic cities and sites in Michigan including the Michigan State Capitol Building, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Ann Arbor Arts Festival, and the city of Detroit, just to name a few.
Michigan State University (MSU) Spartans work to advance the common good with uncommon will. The nation’s pioneer Land Grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world, on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the United States. MSU is the largest residential college in the U.S. and is home to a diverse community of dedicated students, scholars, athletes, artists, scientists, and leaders. Read more about MSU and the state of Michigan.
This program is sponsored by Fulbright Germany.
Students will participate in a full daily schedule of classes, guest lectures, field trips, and enrichment activities.
Course Objectives (CO):
Learning Outcomes (LO):
At the end of this course students will be able to:
This course serves as an introduction to how Entrepreneurship and Innovation can thrive in the conditions of fast-changing global and interrelated local economies.
The key focus is to understand how an Entrepreneurial Business plan can be built, and why an understanding of business models that should be used within a plan should be explored to a level of conscious competence. Students, in self-appointed learning teams of 5 will build a slide presentation that they will deliver to the whole course towards the end of this learning experience.
Each session will methodically help the students to build their presentation through the medium of short lectures and mentored learning team activities
This course will be a highly interactive ‘learning by doing’ experience that will expose all students to the most major aspects of successful Entrepreneurship and Innovation in this era of unprecedented continuous and ever accelerating change around the world.
Key Learning Outcomes:
As a result of participating in this course each individual will have the tools and the experiential learning opportunities to gain conscious competence in the following elements of understanding what it takes to become entrepreneurial and innovative in a fast-changing world:
Course Objectives (CO):
Learning Outcomes (LO):
Competencies:
Introduction to the U.S. Legal System & Government
July 19, 2022, 1:30pm – 3:00pm
The structure of the U.S. government and the American legal system has a unique historical basis, and has had a lasting impact on American culture, ideals, and attitudes. Learn about how the American system of government came to be, the role of the U.S. Constitution, and how American society has shaped and been shaped by these institutions. The session will be followed by a presentation about Michigan's court system in preparation for a visit to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Intercultural Communication and Leadership - A Conversation with Global Executives
July 21, 2022, 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Being the heart of the U.S. automotive industry, Michigan attracts the most talented engineers, designers, and leaders. Meet some of the industry’s top executives, all of whom have studied, worked and lived in multiple continents and countries, and are leading diverse teams to success in some of the most challenging business environments. Listen to their stories and get inspired.
Students will be awarded the German Fulbright Summer Institute certificate as well as an MSU VIPP certificate upon successful completion of the program.
July 16: Arrival and Check in at MSU Owen Hall
July 17: Program Orientation and Campus Tour
July 18 – August 5: Daily classes and activities
August 6: Departure
Anjam Chaudhary is the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program coordinator at MSU International Studies and Programs. With more than 10 years of national and international experience in academic and administrative education and a passion for intercultural communication competence, Chaudhary brings a multicultural and multilingual perspective to this new position. Most recently she served in professional development and graduate recruitment at Central Michigan University’s Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, where she developed and facilitated leadership workshops and conferences on diversity and interculturality. Prior to that, she was the faculty-led program coordinator in CMU’s Office of International Affairs. Chaudhary is in the final stages of completing her Ph.D at CMU in education, interculturality and student development, and she also holds a master’s degree in integrated communications, advertising and public relations from Florida International University; a certificate in advertising and global communications from Berlin’s Institute of Marketing and Communications; and a bachelor’s in South Asian studies from the National Institute of Asian Languages and Cultures.
Dr. Anna Pegler-Gordon is an Associate Professor at James Madison College where she teaches courses in Asian American history, immigration policy, citizenship, comparative race and ethnic relations, and U.S. racial and immigration history. She has received fellowships for her teaching and research, including national and international awards from the Organization of American Historians, the Immigration and Ethnic History Society, and the Japanese Association for American Studies. Professor Pegler-Gordon’s first book, In Sight of America: Photography and the Development of U.S. Immigration Policy (University of California Press, 2009) won the Immigration and Ethnic History Society’s Theodore Saloutos prize “for the book judged best on any aspect of the immigration history of the United States.” An American Quarterly drawn from this research was selected for inclusion as the lead essay in Best American History Essays. She is also completing work on her second book, a study of Asian immigrants at Ellis Island.
Keith Niblett is the Assistant Director of International and Custom Programs at the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management. Firstly an English and a Masters Music graduate, Mr. Niblett held senior executive and directing position in the regional and national press, in radio and magazines. His media career expand in Hong Kong, the USA, Canada, Australia and France. He also has a post-graduate Masters degree in Management Studies, and worked in BET, Sandridge Park Business School, Cranfield University, Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Teresa Svec has been teaching international students at Michigan State University since 2012, including instructing internationally educated lawyers in the American Legal System Program at the College of Law, teaching English as an assistant professor at the MSU English Language Center, and working with visiting professionals from around the world for the Visiting International Professional Program. Teresa teaches courses in a variety of disciplines including law, research, writing, and business English. Prior to teaching for MSU, Teresa worked as a policy advisor for the nonprofit organization Disability Network Michigan, advocating for disability rights and legislative changes. Teresa holds a J.D. from MSU Law, a B.A. in Linguistics, and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.
Ms. Isabelle McKenzie is serving as the Vice President General Manager for BorgWarner Power Drive Systems business unit for the Americas since March 2020. She is responsible for the overall business and manufacturing operations. Her previous assignment was Vice President of Engineering for BorgWarner Transmission Systems between 2014 and 2020, responsible for global product development and product management. Isabelle has over 27 years of experience in the automotive industry including general management, operations, global engineering management, program management and quality. Prior to joining BorgWarner Isabelle was at Continental Automotive, most recently as head of Engine System Control Engineering and Program Management. She had various positions at Continental and Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation.
Mr. Nirad Pandya is currently Head of Strategy and Head of E-Mobility products at Vitesco Technologies, a leading supplier of automotive powertrain solutions to most of the world’s top carmakers. Over his 25-year career, Mr. Pandya has held leading roles in engineering, general management, program management and marketing at Caterpillar, Motorola and Continental. Mr. Pandya has lived in the US, Germany, China and India and has a strong appreciation for communication and leading across cultures.
Henry Julicher is currently the Regional Manager of Sales and Operations for Lufthansa Cargo Midwest and holds twelve years of professional experience in the aviation industry. Henry has been long interested in an international career since high-school and learned that learning German would open up professional opportunities abroad. After studying Economics in college, Henry joined Lufthansa Group on a management trainee program which ultimately brought him to Germany. He believes that success is linked to attitude and motivation and that anyone can succeed with the right mindset; adding travel and experience is also key to understanding perspectives and approaches and will help broaden one's horizons and abilities. Since returning to Michigan, Henry heads the membership committee for the German-American Business Council of Michigan, a professional networking organization that builds on the strong economic, cultural and commercial ties between Michigan and Germany. He lives in Metro Detroit and is passionate about the benefits of living in Michigan, which include sailing the Great Lakes and tasting the culinary scene in Detroit.
Faris Alami is Founder & Chief Executive Officer of International Strategic Management (ISM) since 2003, and works to develop entrepreneurial ecosystem facilitating and training immigrants and ethnic minority entrepreneurs in the U.S. and abroad.
Faris partnered/worked with several incubators and accelerators globally – where he managed over 1,000 start-ups each year, and played a role in planning entrepreneurial training, talent, and several international initiatives. He is a certified FastTrac Facilitator in the internationally recognized Entrepreneurial Training program through the Kauffman Foundation.
Andrea Arnold is the Senior Manager, Global Marketing Communications, Eaton eMobility. Andrea is responsible for planning, development, deployment, and measurement of global eMobility marketing communications in support of Eaton’s vehicle electrification strategy. In May 2012, Andrea joined Eaton at the Eaton Proving Grounds in Marshall, MI. She has held roles of increasing responsibilities including marketing communications for commercial vehicle transmissions, and developing the brand strategy for the Eaton Cummins joint venture during its formation. In November 2018, she assumed her current role and became the first marketing leader for the newly formed eMobility business. Ms. Arnold holds a BBA from Western Michigan University, and an MBA from Baker College.
Scot Streeter is Engineering Director, Mobile Power Conversion, Eaton eMobility. Scot is responsible for technical leadership of new product introductions for traction inverters and mobile DC/DC converters for the commercial vehicle market. With Eaton since 1985, Mr. Streeter has held a variety of roles in metrology and materials engineering.
In 2021, he assumed his current responsibility for mobile power conversion relative to Eaton’s eMobility business. Mr. Streeter holds a BSME from Trine University, with high honors, and a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Werner Happenhofer joined Eaton in March 2022 to assume the position of VP Product Development Engineering for eMobility. Werner is responsible for leading and managing Eaton’s eMobility product engineering activities along with product launches, base product development and engineering functional excellence. Before joining Eaton, Werner worked for different tier 1 corporations in Europe and the U.S. in Engineering Management roles and as Business Leader with P&L responsibility. He developed and launched products in power electronics, powertrain controls and powertrain components. Werner has published a number of papers in automotive magazines and holds several patents for engine components and controls. His motto is “Embrace Diversity”. Werner holds a Master of Science in Engineering with a major in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich.
Annette Howard joined the Eaton eMobility team in April 2022 and supports the team daily on all aspects of HR. Prior to joining the eMobility team she has held several HR roles at Eaton since 1998. Support teams have included North America Operation, Marshall Michigan Campus, Engineering Technology and North America functional teams. Prior to joining Eaton, Ms. Howard worked at Denso Manufacturing supporting Supply Chain and Logistics. Annette is a member of all eight of Eaton’s inclusion resource groups and leads the Marshall Community Service Team. Annette has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Sienna Heights University.
Meet the MSU students who will serve as class assistants and cultural ambassadors during the 2022 German Fulbright Summer Institute.
MSU Junior
Major: Arts and Humanities, German
MSU Senior
Major: Physics and German
Wyatt Zwik
MSU Senior
Major: International Relations and German
MSU Junior
Major: Advertising Management
MSU Junior
Major: Social Relations and Policy
Claire Chapski
MSU Senior
Major: Human Biology
Ellen Naomi Ambiel, Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society: International Business Administration
Miriam Rosina Sophia Baumgartner, Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences: Applied Geodesy and Geoinformatics
Katharina Berkemeier, University of Applied Sciences Muenster: Business Administration
Andrei Cosovan, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Lörrach: Computer Science
Anastasija Djokić, HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration: Business Administration
Niklas Döhner, University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld: Mechanical Engineering
Lukas Farrenkopf, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Mosbach: Industrial Engineering
Jule Marie Franz, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Mosbach: Civil Engineering
Christina Geeb, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Mosbach - Bad Mergentheim: Industrial Engineering
Patrick Gerloff, University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld: Mechatronics
Luca Leon Gosemärker, University of Applied Sciences Muenster: Mechanical Engineering
Tim Grabowski, University of Applied Sciences Bielefeld: Industrial Engineering
Jérôme Grohmann, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Heilbronn: Business Administration
Lukas Leonardo Hahn, Southwestphalia University of Applied Sciences: Industrial Engineering
Margarita Kaminskaya, European University of Applied Science Brühl: General Management
Kim Kelly Kehrer, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Lörrach: Business Administration
Anika Binte Moumi Khan, Berlin School for Economics and Law: Business Administration
Patrick Manuel Kutter, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Lörrach: Mechanical Engineering
Amina Mecellem, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim: Social Work
Sophie Meyer, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Mosbach: Civil Engineering
Fabian Möbius, Berlin School for Economics and Law: Business Administration
Moritz Fabian Neubert, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim: Business Informatics
Natalia Paley, Berlin School for Economics and Law: Business Administration
Anna Piontek, Hochschule Bremen University of Applied Sciences: Business Administration
Silas Pohl, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Mannheim: Computer Science
Robin Otto Schmidt, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Karlsruhe: Computer Science
Lisa Schreibweiß, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Mannheim: International Business Administration
Henry Théry, HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration: Business Administration
Jule Alice Andrea Thomas, European University of Applied Science Neuss: General Management
Lena Sophie Weißhuhn, Trier University of Applied Sciences: Mechanical Engineering
Pakistan Women Leadership in Higher Education
Meet the 2022 USDA Borlaug Fellows
Learn about the Bolashak Program
Download the VIPP Program Brochure
