Texas Tech’s Rawls College of Business Receives Federal Education Grant

Texas Tech University’s Rawls College of Business was awarded a $144,720 Business and International Education (BIE) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The two-year grant, titled International MBA for Working Professionals (IMBA-WP), supports the college’s continued efforts to internationalize its business curriculum. The following co-investigators will manage the IMBA-WP program: Debra A. Laverie, Jerry S. Rawls professor of Business in marketing and Minnie Stevens Piper Professor; Catherine A. Duran, associate dean for undergraduate programs, and Steve Buchheit, Jerry S. Rawls professor of Business in accounting. “The Rawls College is excited to have gained extramural funding to develop an IMBA for working professionals,” said Debra Laverie, senior associate dean at the Rawls College. “This will give us the opportunity to internationalize our executive educational efforts that will benefit students and our faculty.” The award supports a range of project activities for students, faculty and the regional business community. Project activities include the development and establishment of an international business (IB) graduate program, increasing the college’s regional business and student outreach efforts and providing a platform for faculty development in IB education. The grant allows for the development of a new IMBA-WP program that expands opportunities for mid-level executives to achieve graduate degrees in IB without interrupting their career path. Student and business outreach efforts will be augmented through the project’s partnership with the Foreign Trade Zone division of Lubbock Economic Development Alliance. The BIE award also enhances prospects for faculty development in IB, which allows project directors and program professors to attend higher education workshops and conferences. These seminars enable faculty to expand the breadth and depth of their research and teachings. Find Texas Tech news, experts and story ideas at www.media.ttu.edu. CONTACT: Catherine McGovern, communications coordinator, Rawls College of Business, Texas Tech University, (806) 742-1573, or catherine.mcgovern@ttu.edu