October 26, 1999
Greensboro, NC: A project led by the International Trade Center at North Carolina A&T State University recently helped four A&T students experience a blend of culture and business in Ghana.
Camille Keith, Todd Bullock, Yolanda Starke and Kelsi Brackmort spent seven weeks this summer studying at the University of Ghana in Accra and visiting various sites in the country, as part of Globalizing Academic Experience Through Cross-Cultural and Language Technology, a project led by Dr. William Amponsah, director of the International Trade Center.
According to Amponsah, the trip was designed to help students learn about business in a cultural setting different from their own.
"Through their coursework at A&T, students learn about international trade principles and cultural differences, but experience is often the best teacher of culture and its impact on business," said Amponsah, who accompanied the students for part of their trip. "This project provides the resources to help students get the experience they need to more fully understand international trade."
While in Ghana, the A&T students attended classes in the University of Ghana’s Department of Agricultural Economics, toured businesses involved in international trade and visited some of the country’s historical sites.
For Camille Keith, a graduate student from Greensboro, spending time with the people of Ghana and visiting areas around the country taught her more than classroom instruction alone could.
"Visiting with Ghana citizens, seeing how they live and learning firsthand about the history of the country really gave me a feel for the culture," said Keith, who became interested in international trade through missionary trips with her mother, Myraette, a Greensboro minister who also joined the students for part of their trip. "To be successful in international trade, you must understand the culture of different countries, so you can understand and be sensitive to the ways they prefer to conduct business."
While in Ghana, the students not only learned of the country’s history and culture, but also of their plans for future development.
According to Keith, Ghana hopes that international trade of such products as cocoa and bananas will help boost the country’s economy. To learn about those industries, the A&T students toured businesses involved in their production and export.
In addition, the A&T students twice met with Ghana’s Minister of Agriculture to discuss the country’s international trade efforts.
The Ghana trip was an example of how the International Trade Center coordinates efforts to prepare students for a global and technological society, said Amponsah.
"As a result of NAFTA and other initiatives to open the doors to international trade, the world marketplace is expanding, and due to developments in communications technology, traditional barriers to international trade are falling," said Amponsah. "As educators, we must provide every type of experience, from classroom instruction to international travel, to prepare students for the opportunities presented by the international market."
For more information, visit the International Trade Center, or call Dr. William Amponsah, (336) 334-7056.