Dr. David Massaglia with his students.

Bemidji State University’s Dr. Dave Massaglia, associate professor of accountancy, spent four weeks teaching a global business class at Huaihua University in south central China during the 2019 summer semester.

Massaglia taught his class in English, but allowed students to purchase their textbook in English or Chinese to help with any communication barriers.

“Teaching abroad really makes you a better instructor,” he said. “I had to be on my toes and be my best. I had to know my materials well and be aware of my body language.”

Massaglia worked with over 100 students and valued the real life global business experience he saw playing out in China on a daily basis.

“Being in China when trade discussions are going on with the U.S., it was like learning right out of the textbook. We were talking about that in class and it was amazing to use real life examples,” he said. “It was interesting to compare negotiating styles of each country.”

On his last day of class, his students threw him a surprise party with karaoke, cake and balloons as a departing gift.

Now back at Bemidji State for the fall of 2019, Massaglia plans to integrate much of what he learned from his experience in China into his classroom.

“I am going to encourage my students to get an over-seas experience of some kind to give them a perspective of how we do things in the U.S.,” he said. “Learning how our education system works, our priorities, how business operates. It’s just a great experience.”

Contact

• Dr. Dave Massaglia, associate professor of accountancy; (218) 755-2906, david.massaglia@bemidjistate.edu

Bemidji State University, located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. Enrolling more than 5,100 students, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. The university’s Shared Fundamental Values include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and international and multicultural understanding. For more, visit bemidjistate.edu or find us at BemidjiState on most of your favorite social media networks.

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