Local Student Heads Overseas to Study International Business

Brett Bradanini of North Haven is right now in the country of Hungary meeting business and government leaders as the last requirement of his MBA.

Why Hungary, you ask?

"I had my choice of Nicaragua, Ireland, China and Hungary," said Bradanini who spoke to Patch while packing for his trip. "I picked Hungary figuring it might be the only time I'd ever get there." 

Bradanini hopes that in the future he will be able to travel to Ireland and China for business purposes. 

Bradanini is the son of Jim and Linda Bradanini of North Haven. He can share his MBA experiences with his brother, Jeff, who has his own MBA through Sacred Heart University. 

For now, the traveler, who also received his undergraduate degree from Quinnipiac, admitted he did not know much about the country (he's been studying the currency) but saw the opportunity as a "cool cultural experience."

"The goal is to study the foundation of international business and learn how the country operates in relation to the United States," he said. 

Bradanini one of 13 Quinnipiac University students in the master of business administration program who will spend two weeks in early June meeting with business and government leaders in Hungary.

The students will tour Parliament and meet with a senior adviser to Prime Minister Viktor Orban as well as meet with the executives of international companies such as Exxon/Mobil, General Electric and Morgan Stanley.

The trip will culminate with the sixth annual networking event where Clea Newman, the youngest daughter of the late Paul Newman, is expected to speak.

"The object is to expose the students to international business practices," said Christopher Ball, associate professor of economics in the School of Business and director of the university's Central European Institute, which is co-sponsoring the trip with the School of Business.

The Central European Institute, established in 2011 as the István Széchenyi Institute, works to broaden the university's global ties and to foster new opportunities for international education.  

"You really have to go abroad and experience it a little to understand cross-cultural issues," Ball said.

Ball said he treats the experience as a small business going abroad rather than a class.

"We visit companies to gain a basic understanding and overview of Hungary," he said. "They're not prepackaged tours. Most of these companies have never done tours before. They are welcoming our students because they want to meet and talk with our students and attend our networking event."