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Photo of Matthew Kinzer in front of a welcome sign in Japan

From West Virginia to Japan

From West Virginia to Japan

A May 2023 graduate in finance and economics earned a highly competitive U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship to travel abroad to learn a new language and immerse into cultural experiences. 

Matthew Kinzer, of Princeton, West Virginia, spent the summer in Japan before returning to WVU to pursue a graduate degree at the Chambers College. 

The scholarship program seeks to expand the number of Americans studying languages that are essential for the United States’ engagement with the world. 

“I had the amazing opportunity to study Japanese at Okayama University,” Kinzer said. “My time in Japan was truly life-changing, and I'm so grateful to everyone who helped me make this dream a reality.

“In just two months, I made lifelong friends, learned so much about Japanese culture and improved my Japanese language skills immensely. I'll cherish my memories of Japan forever, and I'm excited to use the knowledge and skills I gained to pursue my career goals.”

Chambers' Campus Cameo

Our business students were energized by College namesake and proud West Virginia native  John Chambers, who visited campus with his wife, Elaine earlier this semester. He inspired our Entrepreneurship classes and student fellows by sharing his lessons learned from 20 years of leading Cisco Systems as CEO.

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Something in the Air

A paper coauthored by Economics Professors Brad Humphreys and Jane Ruseski has been chosen by its journal of publication, Sports Economic Review, as its best paper of the year. Their research suggests that cities with professional sports teams bear increased flu mortality rates. Read the paper on Sports Economic Review.

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Virtual Globetrotting

While COVID-19 has forced us to pivot the way we work and play, the Robbins Center for Global Business and Strategy is no exception. In fact, two virtual activities alone in October saw more than 250 students involved in international lecture, case analyses and culture sessions in Hong Kong and Bahrain. “Framed in this way, that's very promising international reach between WVU and these two international partners,” said David Dawley, executive director of the Robbins Center. 

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Testify

John Deskins, director of the WVU Bureau of Business and Economic Research, testified on Capitol Hill before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in July. The topic? The importance of energy innovation to economic growth.

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The Future is Innovative Females

In an effort to reach innovative and entrepreneurial females throughout the state, the WVU Morris L. Hayhurst LaunchLab hosted its Second Annual Women Innovate Pitch Competition. Ten women entered the virtual competition in October in hopes of winning prizes up to $5,000 to turn their idea into a reality. The contestants had to consider every aspect of their pitch – everything from production to advertising – and field questions from the all-female panel of judges. First place went to Anna Cummings, a business management major and entrepreneurship minor from Ashburn, Virginia, whose pitch identified an unaddressed need for a device to help earring-wearers attach their earring backtracks. “The Women Innovate Pitch Competition is an important opportunity for women entrepreneurs,” said Carrie White, executive director of the Morris L. Hayhurst LaunchLab. “The LaunchLab is here to provide support to all student innovators. However, historically we have seen fewer female clients as compared to male. This event is designed to level that field. The first year we held it, we saw our female entrepreneurs increase by 20 percent. We want to provide encouragement to all WVU students who wish to create something new!” 

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