LYNN — The second International Summer Institute for Business, Education and Entrepreneurship kicked off Thursday night at City Hall.
The three-day seminar, which aims to point Latinos who want to thrive in the country’s business in the right direction, will conclude Friday and Saturday at the University of Massachusetts’ Boston campus on Morrissey Boulevard.
Magalie Rowe, founder of the seminar, said the reason for the program is that “there is a lack of professional development training in American universities in Spanish.” She first sought to remedy that situation while a professor at Boston College, and eventually formed a partnership with UMass Boston for Latin American studies.
The program is aimed to attract Latin-American professionals living in the United States and abroad who are interested in business management and development, as well as Education. The event will be taught entirely in Spanish by leading professionals in the areas of business, education, communications and entrepreneurship. Some of the participating institutions include professors from Harvard University, University of Massachusetts, Salem State University, Northern Essex Community College and Lynn Public Schools.
Also represented are organizations such as Essex Media Group, Eastern Bank, North Shore Latino Business Association, St. Jean’s Credit Union, EE Marketing, LLC, United for a Fair Economy and Latina Center María.
“This is just one step along the way,” said Rowe. “We kind of hope that the people who take part in this are spurred on to get further education.”
One of the things the seminar stresses is that participants learn English.
“That is strongly encouraged,” Rowe said, “because that’s the language in which we do business in this country — and in other places around the world too.”
Rowe also said that some of the focus of the seminar delves into the psychology of business too, especially where sales are concerned.
“Some people are visual, some of them are auditory, and some are emotional,” she said. “It helps to be able to recognize that, so you can better reach them.”
This program, in which 150 people are enrolled (60 from overseas and 90 throughout the United States) offers participants a Certificate of Completion endorsed by the organizing institutions.
During the program, participants will also have the opportunity to expand their network of more than 60 businessmen who come from Mexico, Peru, El Salvador, Colombia and the Dominican
Republic, as well as the United States, during the “Expo of Entrepreneurship and the Fair of Resources.”