Visiting Professor from Norway | Video

Jenny Castro | 7/18/2012

Many university students have an opportunity to travel abroad for a semester. At Minot State University, they`ve brought more diversity TO the campus. One visiting professor from Norway has been in Minot this summer and has been working along side a former classmate.

Dr. Gillian Warner Soderholm has worked in Norway for 19 years, but having grown up in England she brings two different European cultures. And it was in England where she was a classmate with Dr. Andy Bertsch. Now Bertsch and Soderholm are working side by side at Minot State where they`re both very passionate about broadening the students` education.

"There`s all kinds of phenomenal, wonderful opportunities as a researcher and as a classroom instructor to really kind of bridge that gap between theory and practice in the classroom and to try to foster that curiosity within the students and we have that opportunity right here at Minot State,” says Dr. Bertsch.

Several professors in the business department are bringing international influence and in the graduate program for management, 6 of the 14 students this summer are from foreign countries.

"I think all this international diversity circles the experience for our students, especially given the fact that the students that come here from this area were far removed from a great deal of international activity and exposure,” says Dr. Gary Ross, chair of the department of business administration.

Earlier this summer, Dr. Bertsch and Dr. Warner-Soderholm won a national award in Washington DC for a paper on cross cultural management. And in the classroom they`ve been able to apply their research.

"I think they have really valued our research which we`ve brought into the curriculum. With case study work looking at, in practical terms when we take a role as a manager in a company whether it`s domestic or global that we will indeed be able to make a difference by looking at relationships or leadership, motivation, time management, and culture,” says Dr. Gillian Warner Soderholm.

A unique chance for collaboration and influencing young minds to do the same.

Dr. Bertsch and Dr. Warner-Soderholm plan to collaborate again in the future, this time for a book on business in Norway.

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