University at Buffalo School of Management

tional student, it was reassuring to have someone to talk to and she wants to provide that to current students. "I remember talking to an accounting student who was considering switching to finance," she says. "I en- couraged him to stick with accounting based on the strength and reputation of UB's program. A few days later there were on-campus interviews and he told me that most of the calls he received were because of his ac- counting major. "That was the moment I realized the conversation we'd had really made an impact." Global hospitality Since January 2002, the School of Management has sponsored an annual trip to China as part of the MBA "International Business Environment" course. Students gain insights in the classroom into the history, culture and business environment of China and other regions and then have the opportunity to experience it all first- hand. Sean Moskal, BS/MBA '06, says his interest in working abroad ties back to when he visited China as an MBA student. He's originally from Buffalo, but is now senior vice president of international subsidiary banking at HSBC in Hong Kong. Each year, Moskal hosts groups of School of Management MBA students at HSBC as part of the China trip. "It's quite rewarding for me to be on the other side of the equation now and help arrange the meeting for the students," says Moskal. "It is tough to stay connected from so far away, but hosting this annual visit helps fill the void." Virtual career conversations Eri Ota, BS '02, is an information technology and networking specialist for Renault-Nissan Alliance in France, where she bridges information technolo- gy between the two strategically aligned automotive manufacturers. Ota recently participated in UB's Virtual Interna- tional Career Conversations event, where she and other UB alumni chatted with students online to share insights about living and working internationally. "When I was studying at UB, I wanted to connect with businesspeople who had a real international back- ground," says Ota. "Since graduation, I've worked in Japan and France, so I naturally wanted to share what I've learned through my IT experience in the automotive industry." Yinchu Hou, MS '07, senior manager of global pro- curement at Apple, also took part in the virtual conver- sations to help current students find their dream jobs. "It was a highly interactive session where I was in two or three chat conversations at a time," says Hou. "I was glad students were curious about studying and work- ing in China." To learn more about how you can stay connected with current students and the School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu/alumni. — Kevin Manne MBAs at the Bund waterfront in Shanghai during their spring 2016 trip to China. Sean Moskal, BS/MBA '06, with his daughter, Maura, at the Great Wall of China. Eri Ota, BS '02, in her offices at Renault-Nissan Alliance in France. Autumn 2016 Buffalo Business 25

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