Dillards representative Nina Newsome speaks to

students at the Dress for Success event on Oct. 8.

In addition to sending associates to campus, Dillards
hosted IBS students for a tour of the business in Little
Rock, Ark., on Oct. 3. Matt Dobson
Seniors Ryli Snider and Lauren Holland discuss the
agenda for the Accounting Society meeting Oct. 16.
Participation in the society allowed students to gain
insight about future careers and to network with
accounting professionals. Matt Dobson

BRANCH OUT
IBS CONNECTS WITH BUSINESSES

he Business Department exhibited an incredibly diverse

student population. Because of the Walton International
Scholarship program, students were drawn from all
over the world to participate in the rich campus experience.
The International Business Society was one of many ways
for students to take advantage of the colleges focus on
worldwide business.
IBS started in 2002 after an international business class
traveled to Europe to learn about the culture and meet other
students. By witnessing businesses in a foreign context,
students gained a more complete understanding of their future
careers. IBS sought to extend the kind of benefits offered
by the trip, helping students develop the skills needed after
graduation while forming relationships with students from
different backgrounds.
IBS has been a wonderful opportunity to embrace a complete
learning from different cultures and how they interact with
each other to create the current business world in which we
all are part of, junior Midory Martinez, president of IBS, said.
After the trip to Europe, IBS was formed as a hands-on
experience for students of many majors and cultures. In 2012,
the organization went through a difficult time when it could
not find a sponsor for the 2012-2013 school year. As a result, the
group did not attend business trips or activities. This reduced
the organization to about seven members.
In the fall, Director of International Business Mike Allen joined
IBS as the new sponsor and revitalized the organization. IBS
expanded from seven members to about 35 members under
the new leadership. According to Martinez, Allen developed
an action plan for boosting participation in the organization.

More importantly, he added a sense of direction to the group

and acted as a mentor to the members.
He has been offering his guidance and support to all the
members, creating a nice environment which allows the IBS
to become stronger as a group, Martinez said.
Allens action plan included trips to businesses such as
Wal-Mart, Nike and Dillards. On Oct. 3 the group took a tour
of Dillards department store guided by Julie Bull, a Harding
alumna. These trips usually took place twice a semester, and
they focused on the business environment directly surrounding
the students. Members also sought ways to learn about other
cultures, particularly in ways related to the global business world.
My major is international business and global economic
development, and I feel that as Americans we are not very
culturally aware, junior Anna Ruhl said. I think its just
important to be culturally aware and also to just focus on
making connections and learning about business ... the business
community is becoming more global.
IBS also taught students how to be Christians in the business
world and make God the main focus in everything. Reaching
out into the world meant encountering many non-Christian
influences, and the organization was concerned with the
integrity of its members.
If you ever run a business, you have to have Christian
values, sophomore Kristhel Vargas said. If you want to be
successful you have to put God first over everything else. He
has to be the center of your business. He is going to be the
one that is going to help you be successful, to keep working
hard for your benefit and company.
Amber Houston

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