Carmen Monica Paunescu
Lecturer, Department of Commodity Science
and Quality Management, Faculty of Commerce,
Academy of Economic Studies, Romania
Research: Tools and Techniques for
Quality Improvement in the Six Sigma Vision
Host: Loyola University New Orleans,
New Orleans, LA
August 2004-July 2005
As a Fulbright Scholar at Loyola University
New Orleans I took the opportunity provided
by the Occasional Lecturer Fund to visit
and give lectures at three other institutions
including minority-serving institutions.
This experience has been the most exciting
and challenging one I have had since my
arrival to the United States.
During my Occasional Lecturer visits to
St. John's University in New York, DePaul
University in Chicago and California State
University in Los Angeles, I spoke to faculty
and students about the business environment,
management practices and economy dynamics
in Romania and Eastern Europe. Topics such
as cultural differences between Romania
and the United States, particularities of
business etiquette in my home country or
what you need to know to be successful in
business in Romania attracted special interest
from students who attended my presentation.
I also had the opportunity to share with
faculty members the achievements of my research
in Romania and, as a Fulbright Scholar,
on the contribution of the Six Sigma methods
and tools to the enhancement of quality
educational services in higher education.
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During my Occasional Lecturer visits, I
had the great opportunity to meet and interact
with former American Fulbrighters and to
further extend my network of professionals
for future projects. In addition to interacting
and exchanging ideas with faculty and students,
I was able to attend faculty research meetings
and establish future professional collaboration
with faculty at these institutions. My interaction
with American faculty members has peaked
my research interest to new perspectives
and made me realize that I can learn a lot
in U.S. universities. This revelation is
a valuable contribution to the development
of my personal and professional potential.
The teaching skills that I have achieved
as a participant in this program have further
brought an important contribution to the
enrichment of my professional development.
My experience as a participant in the Occasional Lecturer Fund also helped me gain more
exposure to different regions of the United
States. I never realized it was possible
to learn so much about a field I already
knew so well simply by communicating cross-culturally.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation
to the Occasional Lecturer Fund for its
excellent services through which I was able
to visit other American universities, to
interact with faculty and students there
and to blend my learning and insights with
the experience of American professors to
gain in-depth knowledge and special skills
in my field of specialization.
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