Baltimore Business Educator Empowers Women In Philippines
Obtaining an advanced degree can greatly enhance employment and career opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees with a Master's degree are projected to have an almost 20-percent increase in employment from 2012 to 2022.
Christine Nielsen, President of NEW Pathways to EnterpriseTM and Professor Emerita of International Business for the University of Baltimore, is a great example of how an advanced degree can further your own career and help enhance the lives of others. Nielsen designed an entrepreneurial learning system that is enabling women to escape extreme poverty in the Philippines, and offers some insight on how to utilize a business degree to the fullest.
What inspired you to found NEW Pathways to EnterpriseTM?
"Throughout my career, I've been keenly interested in the role that business can play in addressing the major challenge of our time: global poverty. While visiting the Philippines, I listened to hundreds of intelligent, caring, and motivated women who just needed a chance. During a return visit as the Fulbright-SyCip Distinguished Lecturer, the first woman to receive this honor, I extended my connections within the local business community, with entrepreneurs and academics focused on economic and human development, and with community leaders. In 2012 my husband and I founded NEW Pathways to EnterpriseTM, dedicated to enabling women and their families through innovative, sustainable, and fulfilling livelihood opportunities."
How has your education attributed to your career success?
"I obtained my MBA and doctorate in business administration, with a specialization in international business. Thanks to a thorough grounding in business functions and global business operations, I had the subject knowledge I needed to begin my career. Our Learning to Livelihood program, including business planning and start-up support, serves as an incubator of new businesses - for and by women."
What advice can you offer others in business?
"If you are passionate about reaching out to foreign cultures, if you are fascinated to learn about global industries, or looking for a career in which you can succeed professionally while making a positive difference in the lives of others, consider a career in international business."
Sara Lugardo is a professional writer out of Chicago, Illinois. She has a bachelor's in Communication and is currently working on her master's. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
