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UL Lafayette business professor goes international as Fulbright specialist
Thu, 10/18/2018 - 7:37am
The prestigious Fulbright Specialist Program Roster now includes a name from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Dr. David S. Baker is an associate professor of international business and marketing. He joined the faculty of the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration in 2005 with an extensive résumé in international channel management and marketing.
Channel management encompasses the promotion techniques and sales strategies companies use to convince as many customers as possible to buy their products.
Doing so on a global scale requires an understanding of cultural differences. Baker said that’s what drew him to the Fulbright Specialist Program. “The Fulbright organization has a history of supporting the development of cross-cultural education and service opportunities worldwide.”
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs manages the program. It matches specialists to service projects designed by host institutions and nonprofit organizations in more than 150 countries.
Specialists serve three-year tenures, and the time frame enables participants “to identify and match with institutions, and to evaluate options that best fit the skills they offer,” Baker said.
His options might include creating marketing strategies for the South African State Theatre that appeal to American audiences, or working with organizations in Cambodia and Laos to establish executive development and leadership programs.
The program admitted Baker after he completed a lengthy application process and received a peer-review panel’s recommendation.
His selection “is a tremendous honor for him, UL Lafayette and the Moody College of Business Administration,” said Dr. J. Bret Becton, the college’s dean.
“We are pleased that Dr. Baker has received this opportunity to share his experiences and expertise globally. His appointment as a Fulbright specialist enables him to take the Moody College of Business to parts of the world we might not otherwise reach.”
The Fulbright Program is an international educational exchange sponsored by the U.S. government. It is designed to build connections between the United States and other nations. Congress established the program in 1946.
It includes numerous initiatives. Fulbright scholars teach or conduct research internationally within their fields of expertise. By comparison, Fulbright specialists such as Baker directly apply their knowledge to service projects their hosts create.