NEIU International Business Conference 2017
Conference date: February 6 & 7, 2017
Conference Location: Alumni Hall
Who We Are
The International Business Conference is a student-run annual event that aims to educate students about study and work abroad opportunities.
The conference gives an opportunity for students to learn about business on an international scale, network with students and professionals from the US and abroad, and increase their knowledge and understanding of our diverse world.
We average 1,400-1,800 attendees every year making us the biggest conference of its kind in the Chicagoland area and rapidly growing as each year passes.
What Is New This Year
For the first time in 15 years instead of focusing on a specific region of the world, we will embrace diversity and become inclusive of different topics, culture, food, and speakers of different regions in the world.
Being ranked the most diverse university in the Midwest by The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Ranking, our conference is committed to promoting diversity.
Our History
In 2002, a business student Lukasz Dobrzynski wanted to start a business conference at NEIU. He had gotten the idea from a business conference he had attended in his native country of Poland. So, upon his return, he took it upon himself to organize it with the help of Dr. Durward Hofler. Dr. Hofler became the faculty advisor for this conference for 14 years and retired in 2016.
Upon Dr. Hofler’s retirement, Alicia Mendoza, who had worked on the conference as a student executive for 3 years, became the IBC Director. Also, Leslie Guzman became the student coordinator and Jackie Avila the assistant coordinator for this year.
Our Mission/Testimony
“I witnessed with my own eyes the future business leaders of America […] My God, I simply can’t wait to see where they will all be in five to ten years because they have the will and enthusiasm to be wherever they want to be [...] If NEIU were the universe, the universe would be in balance and heading toward better days for everyone everywhere.”
-Thomas Hyunh, Author of “The Art of War”
“Our purpose is to give students the opportunity to learn about international business and then use that knowledge to take on international opportunities abroad, whether this is in the form of taking business class or internship in another country or deciding to do consulting for a multinational company, we want to give them the background knowledge their need to be successful at that.”
-Alicia Mendoza, IBC Director
"The International Busines Conference provided an excellent opportunity to share as well as gain insights into the inner workings of a continuously and fast changing global macroeconomic environment. The experiences of IBC is always enriching because it allows for unique interactions among students at all the levels, academic researchers across different fields of business, and the working professionals with in-depth field experiences."
-Dr. Hardik Marfatia, Professor of Economics at NEIU