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Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

Dean's Global Leadership Program

Logo for the Dean's Global Leadership Signature Program at Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business.

Mission

Developing leaders with the knowledge, behaviors and attitudes necessary to lead positive change in the larger global context.

Program Overview

The Dean's Global Leadership Program combines academic and experiential learning in a collaborative approach to help students develop the skills necessary to lead in the 21st-century global economy. Students may complete the DGLP as a stand-alone program or may use it as an entry point into the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business Leadership Signature Program.

The program may be completed in as little as one and a half years or stretched over multiple years to accommodate a student's schedule. All students will take the two core courses, Global Business Negotiations and Global Leadership Lessons, and will have flexibility in completing the remaining DGLP requirements of: 1) at least one International Business Perspectives course, 2) two credits of leadership practicums, and 3) a Global Experience.

While specific business majors prepare students for a chosen profession, the focus of the DGLP is to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to be leaders in those professions and be contributing and engaged members of a global society. These skills and knowledge align with essential 21st-century skills, including critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and collaboration.

Outcomes:

  • Problem solving within a global context.
  • Critical thinking.
  • Cultural sensitivity and inclusion.
  • Collaboration with others from different backgrounds.
  • Understanding of how varying perspectives influence global challenges.
  • Teamwork and relationship building.
  • Negotiation skills.
  • Ethical decision making.
  • Refined leadership style and an understanding of the leadership needs of business and team.
A group of diverse students poses in front of a historic building, holding a Clemson University sign.

Signature Program Details

  • Program Leadership
    A smiling man wearing a suit and checkered shirt, set against a muted background.

    Judson Jahn

    Senior Lecturer, School of Accountancy

    Judson Jahn has been organizing and running study abroad programs since 2000. While an attorney by trade, with over 26 years of practice experience, his real passion is teaching. Since 1995, he has taught a variety of Clemson undergraduate and graduate courses ranging from business law to taxation to business negotiations. He received his MBA from Clemson University, J.D. from Mercer University School of Law and LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Alabama School of Law. He has participated in several Executive Education programs at the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation. He is a member of a Harvard PON Master Class alumni group that acts as a sounding board for business and government leaders from around the world. His research interests include assessing intercultural development skills among students studying abroad.

    Professional headshot of a woman with long brown hair, wearing a dark blazer and an orange top, against a gray background.

    Beth Lorenz

    Director of Global Engagement, Office of Career & Global Engagement

    Beth Lorenz has spent 20 years working in higher education, focusing primarily on international education and study abroad programming. She joined Clemson University in 2023 as the Director of Global Engagement in the Office of Career & Global Engagement within the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business. Before Clemson, she worked for nearly 10 years as the Assistant Director in UNC Charlotte's Education Abroad office. She started her career as an academic and study abroad advisor at Northern Kentucky University. She holds a bachelor's degree in Applied Cultural Studies and a master's in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from Northern Kentucky University. She serves as Treasurer for NAFSA: Association of International Educators Region VII. In her current role as director, she works with increasing global competence in students both at home and abroad.

    About Dean Wendy York Portrait of a woman with blonde hair wearing a grey blazer and orange blouse, smiling against a backdrop of trees and a tower.

    Wendy York became the 15th dean and first female to lead business education at Clemson University in 2018, following successful leadership roles in business and academia. She oversees the academic and administrative functions of the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business and its 5,500+ students. Dean York, a visionary and entrepreneurial business leader, is charged with developing the next generation of innovative and ethical Clemson-educated leaders capable of excelling in an evolving 21st-century global economy. Before joining Clemson, York served as Associate Dean at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, where she successfully created a new faculty research and curriculum unit. She has worked in various industries for large and small corporate and nonprofit organizations. York also started and/or led four early-stage technology and internet companies, including a database marketing company she founded and sold to a national advertising agency. Subsequently, York spent five years as a venture capitalist, managing a private portfolio with a market capitalization of $100 million.

  • Program Requirements

    To complete the Dean's Global Leadership Program, students will need to complete the following components:

    Global Business Negotiations and Legal Dispute Resolution
    (LAW 3400 - 3 credit hours)
    Covers foundation-level elements of negotiation theory and techniques in a global context. This includes a research project on diversity, equity and inclusion, and interaction with students from global partner universities. Offered Spring 2025 at Clemson and Summer II 2025 in the Clemson Business in Europe: Oxford Programme.

    Global Leadership Lessons
    (BUS 3400- 3 credit hours, also satisfies a Global Challenges General Education requirement)
    Covers various elements of leadership in a global context, with an emphasis on current events. Students who take this course will also complete the AFS Global Competence Certificate program. Offered in Spring 2025 at Clemson and Summer 1 2025 in the Global Leadership in Japan program.

    International Business Perspective
    (3 credit hours)
    The following courses count towards the international business perspective requirement; students need to select one:

    Students may take an international business perspective course at any time according to their degree requirements. These courses can commonly be found on study abroad programs as well.

    Experiential Component
    (2 credit hours)
    Two credit hours of leadership practicum courses from the following choices:

    Global Experience
    One Global Experience is required to complete the program. The following experiences will count towards the Global Experience requirement: Study Abroad (Summer or Semester), Internship Abroad or Global Internship (abroad, virtual abroad or U.S.-based internship with a multinational company). A separate application is required for each global experience. Students can find more information on how to start their planning on the Pam Hendrix Center for Education Abroad's website.

    Students should consult their Academic Advisor to determine how course credit will fit into their curriculum and graduation requirements. They will also work with the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business Study Abroad Coordinator to plan their global experience.

    Program Sequence
    It is preferred that students enter the program in either their first or sophomore year. Juniors or seniors will be considered if they have completed some program requirements. A traditional sequence would start during the Spring semester with the Global Business Negotiations course; however, students who have completed other components earlier can be accepted into the program. Some program components can be completed out of order.

  • Eligibility

    To participate in the DGLP, you must be a business major in good academic standing. Please note that it takes at least 1.5+ years to complete all program requirements, so students in their last three semesters at Clemson are encouraged to speak with the program directors before applying.

  • Application Process

    Students may apply for the Dean's Global Leadership Program in the Fall semester before entering the program. The application consists of two steps:

    • An online application including essay prompts and an upload of the most recent unofficial transcript.
    • An informal interview with the program directors, Judson Jahn and Beth Lorenz.

    Applications will be reviewed after the Nov. 1 application deadline. You will then be contacted to schedule an interview with the program directors, and you should hear back about program acceptance by the end of the Fall semester.

How Sidney Smith '24 transformed her love of traveling into a career

Cultivating global leaders through study abroad

Global Business Negotiations was one of the best classes I've taken at the university so far, if not the best. By going through aspects of dealing with negotiations, which are more present in our lives than we might think, with people who are different and similar to you, I really felt I took away valuable lessons for my entire life. Moreover, Professor Jahn makes sure that the class actually gets to know each other, ultimately resulting in an incredible opportunity to network with my peers, and exchange and learn information in a very diverse class. I highly recommend this class if you are looking for something 'out of your comfort zone.' - Pedro Chaib, Management

The Global Leadership Lessons course helped me expand my capabilities beyond what I thought was possible. This program gave me a sense of confidence and the defined skillset I need to become a better leader in all areas of my life. Beyond that, this program also allowed me to connect with other leaders and create friendships that I will maintain for the rest of my life. - Sarah Cooper, Marketing

The most important aspect of the Global Leadership Lessons course was the connections I was able to make with the students and teachers. It is difficult in college to connect and form bonds with other students in lecture-style classes. I appreciated how this course was small and personal. Everyone was open and passionate, which created a comfortable learning environment. - Gabriella Costello, Financial Management

Everyone thinks negotiation is a win-lose argument where one party gets what they want and the other is left with nothing. This class has taught me that negotiation is, and should be, a win-win. It is about problem solving and walking away from the deal better than you showed up. - Keith Griswold, Economics

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