Kennesaw State Asks Business to Be Part Of ‘Year of Mexico’

          Georgia businesspersons were invited to participate in Kennesaw State University’s Year of Mexico activities that begin this fall by Roberta Griffin, co-chair of the KSU program, during a breakfast meeting of the Mexican American Business Chamber last week.

          Dr. Griffin, associate professor of art and director of galleries at the university, told GlobalFax that Mexican and immigrant Latino businesspersons are needed to participate in panel discussions during the program, and all local businesspersons interested can start now to help plan the year’s various events.

          The Year of Mexico, the 19th year KSU has held a program highlighting a specific country of study, will include public programs to be held on Thursdays, 6:30-8 p.m. The first semester, beginning in September, will focus mainly on Mexican art and culture.

The second semester, beginning in January, will address Mexico’s economy, the economic role of Mexicans in Georgia and the United States and particularly the Mexican contribution to metro Atlanta’s economy, Dr. Griffin said.

“KSU is positioning itself as the leading university in Georgia interested in Latin American culture. We’ve been doing this for great deal of time, and it’s beginning to bear fruit,” she said, noting that this the second time KSU has featured Mexico in its yearly country study program. The 2003-04 school year will focus on Spain.

          KSU will also be working with the Mexican American Business Chamber’s new executive director, Beatriz Gasiba, on Year of Mexico events. Ms. Gasiba recently replaced Silvia Barron as executive director.

Ms. Gasiba most recently worked for a Miami-based travel sales Internet company, TravelYa/TravelNow Network. She received her Master’s of Business Administration in marketing from Mercer University in Atlanta. She is a member of the Georgia Hispanic Network and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs here.

          Contact Dr. Griffin at (770) 423-6239 or rgriffin@kennesaw.edu. Contact the KSU international office at (770) 423-6336 or visit www.kennesaw.edu for more information. Contact the Mexican chamber at (770) 441-7581.