Media Relations
University of South Florida
Polytechnic
3433 Winter Lake Road
Lakeland, FL 33803
(863) 667-7077
Fax (863) 667-7097
:: Subscribe to eNews
:: Current
News
Archives 2007
:: Fall
2007
:: Summer 2007
:: Spring
2007
Archives 2006
:: Fall 2006
:: Summer 2006
:: Spring
2006
Archives 2005
:: Fall
2005
:: Summer
2005
:: Spring
2005
Archives 2004
:: Fall
2004
:: Summer
2004
:: Spring
2004
Archives 2003
:: Fall
2003
:: Summer
2003
:: Spring
2003
Archives 2002
:: Fall
2002
:: Summer
2002
::
Spring 2002
Archives 2001
:: Fall
2001
|
|
 |
Contact:
Tom Hagerty
(863)
667-7077
LAKELAND,
FL (September 5, 2007) - In early September, Eric Kimelton will say goodbye to family and friends, leave central Florida, board a plane and fly to London, England. He’s looking forward to seeing the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. But Kimelton isn’t visiting London on holiday. He’s going to study for a master’s degree in international business at the University of Westminster.
Andrew Artis, Ph.D., assistant professor
of marketing, (left)
and USF Lakeland graduate
Eric Kimelton believe studying abroad
helps prepare students for today’s global economy.
For Kimelton, who earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of South Florida Lakeland in 2006, London is the next stop on an academic journey that included Bartow High School and Polk Community College.
“Coming from USF Lakeland, which is a strong research institution, I know what it takes to do the work,” he says. “I’m ready for the next step.”
Kimelton credits his USF Lakeland professors with helping him take that next step.
“I was fortunate to have teachers, particularly Dr. Andrew Artis, who helped me see the possibilities and broaden my horizon. He encouraged me to consider the benefits of studying abroad and getting to know other cultures and students from other cultures. Before that, I never thought it was an option for me.
“Westminster has a high population of international students, and I’ll get to interact with people from all over the world.”
Since its foundation in 1838 as Britain's first polytechnic, the University has been closely involved in the business, professional and academic life of London.
“I could have studied international business at USF, or elsewhere in the United States,” Kimelton says, “but I wanted the advantage of having an international experience. Everything is changing to a global economy.”
Kimelton has family in Polk County and close ties to the area. He plans to graduate from Westminster in December 2008, return to central Florida and pursue a business career.
“Central Florida is changing,” he says. “I’ve seen lots of growth and change right here in Polk County. I want to be part of it.”
Despite those changes, however, many central Florida students still do not see themselves as players in a global environment, says Andrew Artis, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing.
“To them, the notion of studying abroad is akin to taking a trip to the moon. They’re trying to get yesterday’s skills instead of what they need for tomorrow. I tell them, ‘You need to acquire the skills to make you more competitive when competing with workers from countries like India and China.’“
In his international marketing class, Artis has students read and discuss “The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century” by Thomas L. Friedman.
Globalization, claims Friedman, is driven not by major corporations or giant trade organizations, but by individuals all over the world who can compete-- and win--not just for low-wage manufacturing and information labor but also for the highest-end research and design work as well.
“In that environment,” says Artis, “you need to have a global perspective, to be tolerant, to be willing to be vulnerable in another culture.
“That’s the beauty of the research-intensive environment at USF Lakeland. Our professors travel internationally and have global perspectives. We help students learn about other cultures and see how the larger world operates.”
In that world, notes Artis, the English language is not the barrier.
“The only barrier is your perception of yourself and where you fit in the world. Eric is a perfect example. He had all the skills but lacked the confidence. Through self-directed learning, he answered the question, ‘What’s best for me in a global environment?” Then he set a goal. And he identified what he needed to learn, who his mentors should be, and where and what he wanted to study.”
Self-directed learning fits perfectly with USF Lakeland’s polytechnic vision. “Traditionally, education has been very passive,” Artis says. “The professor lectures and students absorb information without question. Now, through self-directed learning, the teacher facilitates what the student finds important.
“Eric has gone far beyond the model of what we expect from a student,” says Artis. “Now he’ll study while hearing the chimes of Big Ben in the background.”
And by doing so, explains Artis, Kimelton becomes a role model.
“I see him as the new generation leading the way into a global environment,” says Artis. “By going, he will open doors for all who follow.
“He wears this trip like a badge of courage. He once told me his fear of going to England was almost crippling, but he knew it would be far worse to pass up the opportunity and live his life wondering what he might have accomplished.
“What’s most important is that he’s not doing this to leave central Florida. He wants to study abroad, get the experience he needs, and then come back and make a difference right here. Leaving now will make him more valuable when he returns.”
For Kimelton, the USF Lakeland tagline, “Stay home. Go far. “is more than just a slogan.
“Definitely,” he says. “Look at me. USF Lakeland is a stepping stone that will prepare you, especially if you want to stay in the area, to do what you need to do to start a career or go on to the next level of education.
“USF Lakeland helped prepare me for grad school because I had to do a great deal of self-directed learning. I had to take the initiative to do it myself. That fits right in with the university’s polytechnic mission.
“USF Lakeland was the best two years of my life.”
|
|
