The 31st-annual Business Today Conference centering on the global economy was held in New York City in Times Square from Nov. 19 to 22, keeping in line with its theme, 'Business Without Borders: The Global Economy.' The keynote speakers were all related to globalization, according to Ivana Savic, a UW-Madison junior majoring in French, international business and human management and resources, who was in attendance.
The Business Today Conference is entirely run and operated by a group of Princeton undergraduate students. The conference aims to allow attendees and speakers to gain new perspectives on business-related issues and to allow talented juniors and seniors to converse with the current international business leaders of today.
'It amazes me that these big-name executives are willing to talk with the students and to listen to the students. I think that it is great that we, as students, are able to take advantage of this opportunity,' said Maggie Orr, media relations director of the conference and a sophomore at Princeton University. 'The keynote speakers were fabulous, the seminars were engaging and the students were great and asked thoughtful, intelligent questions.'
Savic had other equally-positive remarks regarding the conference.
'Everything was very professional,' she said. Her favorite speakers were Susan Saidmen, the CEO of North American Division of Arc International and Shawn Nelson, CEO of LoveSac Corporation and winner of TV's'The Rebel Billionaire.' Savic was impressed with Saidmen's presentation because she 'really respects women that can achieve such high levels of success within their industry and careers.' Savic would also encourage other students to attend.
'You can't argue with a free trip to New York,' Savic said.
All travel expenses are paid for in full by the conference for the over 175 attendees.
'Our student attendees tend to be exceptionally well qualified,' Orr said.
The application includes two essay questions related to the conference theme and what each student believes they will contribute. According to Orr, students in attendance tend to be well rounded, top notch students and show leadership qualities. Those accepted are selected from an applicant pool of more than 1,000 and come from 95 universities in 15 countries.
According to Mason Carpenter, UW-Madison associate professor of strategic management, international business is important for reasons other than solely business-related issues.
'It's critical that any student who wants to go someplace in the world have an understanding of the world and its diversity ... It doesn't matter if you are a business student or not,' Carpenter said.
Carpenter also believes that international business has 'always been important' but that 'now it's becoming apparent that it may be imperative,' and that 'more and more international business is no longer optional.'
