A new club on campus is finding an international angle on local business.
The International Business and Economics Club hopes to provide students with a chance to “bridge the gap” between business and economics by hosting forums and leading research projects concerning globalization and the international effects of local business.
A co-president of the club, Andre Nakazawa, said allowing students to speak their minds about international issues is one of the group’s purposes.
“The function of the club is to provide students, with any background, to speak about issues that they’re concerned about that has to do with globalization and how American business in particular can be used to better the lives of the global poor,” he said.
Because majoring in international business is not offered at the Lundquist College of Business, the club will help bring together students who want to pursue international business issues, Nakazawa said.
“We started the club to give students an opportunity to speak and research about global issues,” he said, “to fill the void that classes leave.”
Co-President Simone Cimiluca-Radzins, a business administration major, agreed that the group offers interested students a chance to pursue these issues when their majors don’t offer a suitable opportunity.
“In my business classes, we don’t talk about how we’re going to market something for African communities,” she said. “What we’re trying to do is focus on these economies and see how business can be used to help grow and build these economies.”
But the club, which hopes to gain ASUO recognition by next fall, is not limited to discussions and forums.
Spokeswoman Carolyn Dicharry said the club also did research projects focused on related international issues.
“We are trying to get people who are really interested in doing hands-on projects like getting out into the community and working with international businesses in Eugene,” she said.
The club has three research teams that focus on Africa, China and Latin America, Dicharry said.
The Africa team is currently tracking aid from a development agency and how the money is being used in the continent, while the China team is analyzing exchange rates and how they are affecting Chinese-American imports and exports.
The research groups then present their findings for discussion at the club’s meetings every other week. Dicharry said global information helps the club analyze local businesses.
“We look at the way they run in Eugene,” she said. “How their businesses are affecting the lives of people outside the U.S.”
Dicharry said that, despite the name, the club is open to students of all majors.
“It’s not just economics; it’s not just business,” she said. “That’s what makes this club truly unique.
“We encourage everyone to come to a meeting and see what they think,” she said.
The club will hold its next meeting on May 8, at 6 p.m. in 255 Lillis. A movie night featuring a film about international development will follow.
Club officials urge interested students to attend the next meeting or write to [email protected] for more information.

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