Saint Martin's students team up with China-bound business to do market analysis

Feb. 15, 2006

Lacey, Wash. – Businesses traveling to China on a trade mission in March will have the work of Saint Martin’s University students to help them succeed.

The trade mission, March 3-12, will help businesses develop new economic opportunities and trade ties with Chinese markets and businesses. The trip is sponsored by Saint Martin’s University, the Port of Olympia and the Economic Development Council of Thurston County. Endorsements have come from the Washington China Relations Council; the Washington Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development; the Tacoma Export Assistance Center of U.S. Commercial Service; and the Tacoma World Trade Center.

Faculty member Riley Moore, the University’s director of international business programs and a leader on the trip, has put his international business students to work for delegates by assessing each business’ market potential and completing a tailored China market analysis.

“What the students are doing as part of their course is actually integrating theory with practice – to everyone’s benefit,” Moore says.

Moore said Saint Martin’s leadership role in the trade mission is a natural follow-up to its highly successful 2004 conference, “Doing Business With and In China.” That conference, co-sponsored by the port, the economic development council and several other state and regional co-sponsors, took advantage of Saint Martin’s already-established connections with China. It supplied key information and an important networking opportunity for numerous small and medium-sized businesses interested in establishing business with China.

Saint Martin’s has a decade-long relationship with China that includes joint business education programs with two sister universities, cultural exchanges with Chinese schools, Study Abroad and internship opportunities for Saint Martin’s students and business degree-completion at Saint Martin’s by students from its sister schools. Some of Saint Martin’s business students from China are interning at area companies as part of their educational experience here, Moore said. And their ability to serve as translators and cultural coaches also promises to make them excellent liaisons between businesses on both sides of the Pacific Rim, he said.

The upcoming trade mission will visit Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and meet with U.S. and state organizations, Chinese government officials and counterpart businesses. Delegates are currently preparing for the trip through a series of informational lectures, including a Feb. 17 presentation by Washington Lieutenant Gov. Brad Owen and representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce and World Trade Center Tacoma.

For more information:

Riley Moore, Ph.D.
Director of international business programs
(360) 438-4511
rmoore@stmartin.edu

Josephine Yung
Dean of international education
(360) 438-4375
jyung@stmartin.edu

Deanna Partlow
Media coordinator / senior editor
360-438-4541
dpartlow@stmartin.edu