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FORMS
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Abroad Data Sheet, Agreement
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Study Abroad Participants
Allison Abbott
I
was born and raised in Charlotte, N.C. and
moved to Atlanta about 3 years
ago. Currently, I am an MBA student with a
concentration in Entrepreneurship
and Business Analysis. I will be graduating
in August 2006 after returning
from the Japan and S. Korea study abroad trip. I
received my undergraduate
degree in Math and Computer Science and am
currently working as a Marketing
Analyst Intern for a local entrepreneurial
company. I am also a dance
instructor in my spare time for local dance
studios teaching ballet, tap,
and many other forms of dance for kids and
adults. I am very excited about
the Asia Study Trip and look forward to having
a truly unique experience.
Fekade Aytaged 
The International Entrepreneurship course focusing
on Japan and Korea will be one of my final classes
before I graduate in December 2006 and join the
ranks of MBAs in our city. I am an Ethiopian
native, born and bred, buttered in New England
where I studied electrical engineering at Dartmouth
College. Like so many in my profession, I rode
out the dot com bubble as a software engineer
at Thomson Financial in Boston, Mass.
Atlanta
has been home since April 1999. After a few spurts
with the private sector, I settled into my current
position at Georgia Technology Authority as a
senior software architect.
The underestimated
potential of Africa as an emerging market compelled
me to enroll in the Robinson School of Business.
As Atlanta grows into a bona fide international
city, I am excited to be at the forefront of
an African business renaissance, especially so
with potential Ethio-American endeavors. I am
very much looking forward to our Asia trip which
will connect the final dots for me on how robust
industrialization has been the antecedent to
poverty alleviation.
Karen Bailey
I am from Franklin, Georgia and have lived
in Atlanta for almost two years. I am a management
major, in my junior year, at Georgia State University.
I am a member of GSU’s International Business
Alliance. I also work full time as manager of
a Starbucks licensed store located inside Target
of Smyrna.
Justin D. Cotton
One of the, he jokes, “few remaining native-born
Atlantans,” Justin grew up in Decatur,
Georgia, USA. Justin graduated from Marist
School, and he earned a Bachelor of Science in
Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Spanish
from the Georgia Institute of Technology. During
his undergraduate studies, he was involved with
a variety of campus organizations such as the
Student Alumni Association, the Student Government
Association, the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, and the Georgia Tech Department of
Housing. In addition, Justin developed
a love for traveling during his language studies
in Mexico and Spain and trips to Amsterdam, London,
and Paris in 2002. Since graduation, Justin
has shifted gears at Nordson Corporation in Duluth,
Georgia, USA from an engineering position to
an intellectual property/business analyst role,
which complements his coursework at Georgia State
University. Justin has recently returned
from law studies in Austria, Italy, Hungary,
and Czech Republic, as well as travel to Germany
during the fever of the FIFA World Cup 2006.
Justin is a member of local Atlanta organizations
including The High Museum of Art, The Southern
Center for International Studies, the Georgia
Aquarium, and Fernbank Museum of Natural History. He
also contributes to Marist School, A Better Chance,
National Public Radio, and the National Action
Council for Minorities in Engineering.
Justin is pursuing the Juris Doctor and Master
of Business Administration (JD/MBA) joint degrees
and aspires to practice in the intellectual property
and entertainment law fields throughout the world. Specifically,
Justin wants to represent visual artists, performing
artists, recording artists, athletes, writers,
models, producers, inventors, actors, voice actors,
and programmers in copyright, trademark/unfair
competition, trade secret, and patent matters.Justin
is excited about the prestige of the J. Mack
Robinson College of Business, his participation
in the International Entrepreneurship program
in South Korea and Japan, and future opportunities
to study, work, and live in other countries.
Mercedes
Dixon
I
am an ambitious 21 year old native of Fort Pierce,
Florida. I am a senior at Georgia State University
double majoring in Marketing and Managerial Science.
Just last semester I completed my Certificate of
Hospitality Operations. I
am currently an associate with the Hyatt Regency
Atlanta as a Front Desk Office Agent. Upon graduation,
I plan to continue working in the hospitality industry
international for the Hyatt Corporation. While
being at Georgia State University I am a member
of Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity,
American Marketing Association, and the NAACP.
I am also actively participating in my community
by volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters,
National Association of Minorities in Hospitality,
and Habitat for Humanity. I am extremely
excited about attending this trip to South Korean
and Japan because of the experience and knowledge
that I will gain and this trip will only prepared
me for my future career experiences internationally.
Stacy Efrat
I am an MBA student at GSU, and
I will finish my degree as soon as the trip is
over. I
received my undergraduate degree in Industrial
Engineering from Georgia Tech in 2001. I
currently work at Citigroup in the Home Depot
Credit Services business. I am originally
from Montgomery, Alabama. I have never
been to Japan or Korea, but I have visited many
countries including Mexico, Italy, Israel, Australia,
New Zealand, and Fiji. I look forward to learning
more about entrepreneurship during the trip. I
am an aspiring entrepreneur and a member of the
GSU Entrepreneur Network.
Kizzy Hayes
I am a native of Atlanta and a
senior here at Georgia State University in the
Robinson College of Business. My major
is Real Estate and I will be graduating Fall
of 2006!! My
activities here on campus include the Professional
Business Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi where I
held the position of Chancellor for three semesters. And
I have also been a student member of the Student
Life and Development Committee. Off campus,
I am a member of the Atlanta Urban League. I
am very excited about the Entrepreneurship Study
Abroad because it is provides a wonderful opportunity
for me to expand my career in the Real Estate
Industry. Real Estate has become
a global industry and that is exactly the path
that my business will grow towards. The
other element of my excitement is the fact that
I love to travel. The picture above is
of me sitting along the west coast of South Africa
just outside of Capetown. This will actually
be my second time visiting Seoul, Korea and I’ve
always wanted to visit Japan. In order
to be successful in business and in life, you
have to experience different cultures and understand
the differences and the similarities.
Gabbriel
Heslop 
My name is Gabbriel (Gabe) Heslop, I am currently
a Senior at Georgia State University and will
be completing my undergrad requirements in the
Spring of 07’. I will be receiving
my BBA in Hospitality Administration but I plan
to focus more on entrepreneurship then anything
else once I graduate.
I am originally from New York City (The Bronx)
but have lived in other areas of New York and
New Jersey. I moved to Georgia approximately
5 years ago to go to school. I am into
good music, new ideas (money makers especially),
and open minded people (the more open the better). I
am a communicator and net worker by nature; I
am also a member of Delta Sigma Pi International
Business Fraternity.
Growing up in New York I was always submerged
in various cultures but as far as traveling,
I have been to Mexico and Caribbean Islands but
never across the Atlantic or Pacific. I, like
many others in the class am very much looking
forward to our journey to the Far East.
I not only hope to make connections across seas
but also within the class, as I am sure that
I share many of the future goals and aspirations
of the others in the class. I know that
not only for myself but for the group, this trip
will be an eye opening experience that we will
all learn a lot from while make memories and
hopefully friendships that will last a life time. Thank
you for reading.
Andrea Hoffer
This
December I will graduate from the Robinson MBA
program with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. I
am the process of investing in a franchise that
I will
manage once I graduate. Currently, I manage
two
retail operations on the Georgia Tech campus,
a
bowling alley/pool hall and a copy center. Prior
to
this position, I was Director of a performance
venue
where I booked professional artists and managed
daily
operations.
I hold a MS degree in Higher Education Administration
and a certification in personal training.
Sachi Koto
Following more than 16 years with
CNN, Sachi Koto launched a public relations and
communications firm, Sachi Koto Communications,
Inc. in
Tucker, Georgia in July, 2005.
As a veteran of CNN, Koto served as a news anchor
for CNN Headline News based in the network’s
world headquarters in Atlanta. During her
tenure at CNN, Koto anchored for CNN Radio, CNN
Airport Network, CNN International and CNN QuickCast.
She also produced, wrote and anchored for Turner
South, Turner Entertainment Group’s entertainment
network dedicated to southern style programming.
Before joining CNN, Koto worked as an anchor
for Tokyo’s JCTV (Japan Cable Television)
and for Nippon Hoso Kyoku (NHK) Radio, also in
Tokyo. Previously, she was a reporter
for WQXI radio station in Atlanta from 1974-1975
and for CNN affiliate WAGA-TV in Atlanta from
1975-1977.
Koto has received multiple honors and awards
for her reporting, including the National Star
of Asia 2002 Award. She also received the “Honorary
Texan Award” by Texas Gov. Rick Perry
and the “Honorary Citizen Award” by
Austin, Texas, Mayor Gus Garcia. She was awarded
Honorary Member of the Japan America Society
by Japanese Consul General George Hisaeda and
was appointed as a member to the Asian-American
Commission for a New Georgia by Georgia Governor
Sonny Perdue.
Koto is a third-generation Japanese American,
born and raised in Atlanta. Koto was the
first Japanese on-air talent in the Southeast
and the first Asian on-air talent in Atlanta.
A
presidential scholar, Koto graduated summa cum
laude from Reinhardt College.
Jason McGhee
I was born in Raleigh, NC, but
have been living in Georgia since the age of
11. I am currently
a senior at Georgia State University’s
Robinson College of Business majoring in Computer
Information Systems. My personal interests
include motion pictures, tennis (playing and
watching), music, and computers. I have over
8 years of work experience in the computer field
including software support, hardware support,
and software testing. While pursuing
my degree at GSU, I have become very interested
in the area of information security. Currently,
this is one of the fastest growing areas in the
computer field as businesses and individuals
strive to develop new methods and technologies
to protect the sensitive data stored on their
systems. The Asia study trip will be the final
class I need to complete my BBA degree at GSU. I
am looking forward to gaining first-hand knowledge
about how entrepreneurs operate in Korea and
Japan. I believe that the trip will be
very informative, and also very enjoyable.
Ramesh Munamarty 
"I am pursuing my MBA in
International Business from Robinson and
plan to graduate in Dec 2006. I am currently
working as a Director for Oracle Corporation,
where I am responsible for managing the outsourced
IT divisions of several customers across the
Eastern USA. I did my Masters in Electronic Packaging
from University of Maryland, College Park
and have the certifications of PMP in Project
Management, and CPIM in Production and Inventory
Management. I am originally from India and have
worked there for 3 years before coming to US
for my Masters."
Adrian
Parreira 
Je m’appelle Adrian. My name
is Adrian. I am a twenty two year old senior
at Georgia State University. I speak French
fluently and I also have a strong background
in Spanish. I am currently working on my
undergraduate in Business Hospitality. I
was born in the United States; however I am of
Brazilian and Dutch descent. After completing
my undergraduate degree I would like to continue
my studies in International Business and pursue
my Masters Degree.
I have traveled to many countries and continents
throughout the World. Traveling is a passion
and educational experience that I seek to continue
throughout the rest of my life. I look
forward to creating strong networks and friends
in the International Business community. It
has come to my realization that domestic markets
are very saturated and that the business profits
and relations created in future will be held
in international markets. This is where
my passion for International Business has spawned.
I am a member of the business fraternity known as Delta Sigma Pi. I have
also achieved the highest rank in Boy Scouts as an Eagle Scout. I have
two other jobs besides school. I am an Anesthesia Technician at Gwinnett
Medical Center. I also work in the Hospitality industry for a private
club known as Atlanta Athletic Club. Besides these two jobs I also own
and operate two Insurance affiliate websites in what little time that I have
left over. I look forward to participating with this group of well educated,
passionate, and inspirational student leaders of the future in our quest to
Japan and South Korea.
David Poppel
I was born in Miami, Florida and
raised in Toms River N.J. I have 16 years
of Sales and Management experience and will graduate
with a degree in Managerial Sciences in May. Currently
I am in starting an IT staffing company with
a partner. I have traveled extensively
throughout Europe and I am looking forward to
visiting Asia. I
love eastern culture and traditions. I
am very excited to be taking part in this amazing
opportunity to meet and work with Entrepreneurs
from different parts of the world.
Erik Rostad
I
was born in Minnesota and have lived in Georgia
for the last 12 years. I am currently enrolled
in the dual degree program of a Master's of Int'l
Business and a Master's of Arts in Political
Science/Int'l Affairs. I am very interested
in the interplay between int'l politics and business. During
the day I work in the International Division
of Russell Corporation. Russell is an athletic
apparel company and I work in sales and marketing
for our international markets. I love to
travel, am a musician, and enjoy reading. I
have recently been recording violin with local Soul/R&B
artists.
Debra Stanley
I
have lived in Atlanta for 35 years and worked for
the BPS Companies for
over 18 years. I am currently the Director of Administration
and Finance. I
am in the company's succession plan to become the
next President/CEO. I
attend GSU and will graduate the BBA program in
May 2007. I plan to start
the EMBA program at GSU in the fall of 2007.
International business is of great interest to
me since globalization is now
a huge factor in today's business. Our companies
have been
importing/exporting automotive parts since the
middle 80s. I like to travel
and learn about other countries. I think this study
aboard trip will be both
personally rewarding and a good business experience.
Nick Tilford
Hailing
from Atlanta, Georgia by way of Orlando,
Florida; enter 23 year old business administration
student, Nicholas Tilford. Nicholas prides
himself on
being a diverse individual and full of energy,
always.
He graduated high school in 2001. It was
during this
time that Nicholas was the recipient of the John
Phillip Sousa Band Award, the highest honor given
to
high school musicians. Also, during this
time,
Nicholas earned the rank of Eagle in The Boy
Scouts of
America.
While working odd jobs (as full-time students
so often
do) and attending junior college in 2001, Nicholas
became certified in SDS2 Structural Steel Detailing
Software. At the time, age 19, he is the
youngest
person to have such certification. In 2004
Nicholas
graduated with an A.A. in Philosophy from Gainesville
[State] College.
In the fall of 2004, Nicholas was accepted to
the
Robinson College of Business, of which he is
currently
attending as an Undergrad.
In the summer of 2005, Nick interned for a local
marketing firm, for which he reported to the
Account
Executive and was in charge of job trafficking
and
market intelligence research for the firm's top
clients. To date it is his favorite job
he has ever
had.
Although he is always on the go, Nick tries to
slow
down and enjoy time with those he loves as often
as
possible. This journey will be Nicholas'
first time
outside the United States of America. And
although
very, very nervous he is ready for the experience
of a
lifetime.
Nicholas will be teaming up in "Group 3" with
Mercedes
Dixon, Sachi Koto, and Stacy Efrat.
Eric Ziegele 
I grew up in Illinois and have my undergrad
degree from the University of Illinois. I
have lived/worked in St. Louis, San Francisco, Durham,
NC, and here in Atlanta. This trip will
be my final class for the GSU MBA program
and I am looking forward to the insight
and perspective from entrepreneurs
in another country.
GROUPS
To see a Group's Blog,
Click on the BLUE Labels Below...
| Group 1 |
Group 2 |
Group 3 |
Group 4 |
| Allison |
Karen |
Mercedes |
Andrea |
| Fekade |
Justin |
Sachi |
Erik |
| David |
Eric |
Nick |
Debra |
| Jason |
Adrian |
Stacy |
Ramesh |
| Gabe |
|
|
Kizzy |
