Karla Ortiz sees promise in education-the promise she’ll learn, grow, and gain skills valued in a global economy. In spring 2005, Karla became the first student to enroll at Minnesota State Mankato through a new College of Business exchange with Tec de Monterrey, where she’s a student at the campus in Irapuato, Mexico. Similar exchanges send students and faculty to study and teach in France, Sweden, Holland, Finland, and China. Programs in additional countries are in the works. These exchanges benefit students from nearby places and international students like Karla. All of them seek something the College of Business promises everyone an opportunity to succeed.
Karla Ortiz first considered coming to study in the United States when she met Brenda Flannery, a member of the Management faculty in MSU’s College of Business. Flannery spent a year teaching at Tec de Monterrey, where she met Karla at the campus in Irapuato, Mexico. Karla says she was impressed by Flannery and excited about the possibility of international study.
"She projected very good things about this university," Karla says. "And when I came here, I could see that the professors take care to make sure you are learning. They are funny and enthusiastic, and they invite you to learn with their attitude." Part of Karla’s motivation as a student is personal. She grew up in a small rural community as the oldest of three children. Until her journey to MSU, she had never been far from home. She hopes her younger siblings will someday follow in her footsteps. "I feel like I have a responsibility to be a good example for them," she says.
Another part of her motivation is professional. She understands the demands of the global marketplace, and she believes international experience is vital for any student. Karla took a full load of classes in business and engineering at Minnesota State Mankato. After spring semester, she returned home to complete her degree in industrial engineering. She says she hopes to attend graduate school, possibly as a student in MSU’s Master of Business Administration program. "People here are very kind and patient," she says. "They really try to help you." Karla also found a lot to like beyond the classroom. She enjoyed getting to know classmates from Bangladesh and Japan as well as Sioux Falls and Owatonna. She found many student organizations to choose from, and she got involved with campus life, volunteering to help organize the University’s International Festival. She also experienced a new way of living. "I walked in the snow for the first time," Karla says. "It was beautiful."
