Camarillo, CA August 2, 2010 – A group of 11 CSU Channel Islands (CI) business and economics students will be heading to Brazil on August 7, with Dr. Claudio Paiva, Associate Professor of Economics in the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics at CI. The students, four undergraduates and seven MBA candidates, will spend 10 days touring Brazil and visiting various multinational corporations, universities, energy-generating facilities, and other business entities.
Paiva, born in Brazil, spent 12 years with the International Monetary Fund as a country economist, joining CI’s faculty in 2008. He is interested in combining classroom learning with real world experience. Students will have stays in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Uberlandia.
Some of the sites that students will visit are: Petrobras, one of the world’s largest companies in market value that engages in exploration, production, refining and sales of crude oil and other energy sources; Vale S.A., a diversified mining multinational corporation; Embraer, one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world; The Brazilian Ethanol and Sugarcane Industry Association; a hydroelectric dam; and Algar, one of the country’s largest family-controlled holding companies, with investments in the telecom, food and tourism industries.
During the business part of the trip, Paiva has arranged for students to observe operations in the various companies, asking questions and interacting with personnel. During each visit, company representatives will give a presentation, generally followed by a question and answer period, and a tour of the company.
CI’s approach to education strongly supports multidisciplinary learning with an international focus and real world experience. This focus will help students graduate with better problem solving skills and the ability to work and compete in an increasingly international marketplace.
For media inquiries contact Nancy Covarrubias Gill, Director of Communication & Marketing at CSU Channel Islands at 805-437-8456 or nancy.gill@csuci.edu.
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CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
CI Mission Statement
Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.
