Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program

Learning on a global scale got a little closer to home for students in the School of Business who got to hear first-hand how business is conducted in Tajikistan, without taking the 29-hour flight.

Farzona Rahimova, a native of Sughd, Tajikistan, shared her knowledge and expertise as part of the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence program during the 2012-2013 academic year. The program enables U.S. colleges and universities to host foreign academic scholars in an effort to bring international diversity to U.S. higher education institutions. It was the first-ever opportunity for Owens Community College as one of only 50 colleges and universities chosen to host this year.

The College recognizes the importance of gaining global knowledge and the value it provides students. When exposed to new ideas and new ways of thinking, students are better able to communicate and understand the global business environment. Students were able to become more aware of global issues and learned ways of improving communication strategies.

"For my students, I think it's interesting to be taught by someone who came from a different country," said Rahimova. "But when you teach, you also learn, so it was a great experience for me as well."

Rahimova taught International Business and Contemporary Business courses during her time at Owens. She also assisted in developing new business courses with an international focus and served as a guest lecturer in several other academic disciplines. She also assisted Owens faculty in assessing their courses from a global perspective.

"It was an honor having Farzona with us," said Ann Theis, Dean of Owens School of Business. "The knowledge she provided has really enriched our students' learning experience. I'm sure they didn't expect that they would ever get a chance to interact with and learn from someone from Tajikistan."

"The biggest surprise for me was the wide age range of the students at Owens and their unique backgrounds and experiences," said Rahimova. "In my country, everyone who attends university is the same age, so it was interesting to listen to them communicate and share stories. We were all able to learn from each other."