Tobin College Professor is Awarded Fulbright Grant to Build Ties with Ecuador

Abraham Stefanidis, Ph.D., Professor of Management at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, recently received a prestigious award from the Fulbright Specialist Program to cultivate ties with Universidad Católica de Cuenca in Ecuador.

“My motivation to apply for the Fulbright program stemmed from my academic aspiration to continue enriching my international management research and teaching experiences by building sustainable international ties that will ultimately benefit St. John’s University,” Dr. Stefanidis explained.

A US Department of State program, the Fulbright Grant is an opportunity for US academics and established professionals to engage in project-based exchanges at host institutions across the globe. The project focused on the exchange of knowledge and the development of a partnership that will benefit diverse participants, institutions, and communities both in the US and overseas through educational and training activities within the discipline of business administration.

Dr. Stefanidis, who has studied, taught, and conducted research internationally, has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal International Studies of Management & Organization. He has led several Global Online Learning Exchange (GOLE) programs and taught global destination courses in South America. His research focuses on international human resource management, global business ethics, and disability. 

“Whether students are in the classroom or abroad in one of our destination courses, one of the most valuable aspects of an education at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business is the mission-centered, global perspective that our students gain through esteemed faculty like Dr. Stefanidis, who share panoramic views of the economy and the interconnectedness of our world,” noted Maciek Nowak, Ph.D., Dean.

He added, “We're very proud of his selection for this prestigious Fulbright Specialist Award and know his insights will benefit the Universidad Católica de Cuenca in Ecuador as much as they do his students here at Tobin.”

The project’s goal was to generate a strategic plan regarding the internationalization activities of the Ecuadorian university’s International Affairs Division in collaboration with the university’s Council, Vice-rectors, and Rector. Dr. Stefanidis provided research training to faculty and administrators regarding research methodology, funding, grant applications, and the pursuit of international academic collaborations.

“Having visited Ecuador and Latin America in the past, I felt that the Fulbright program represented an excellent opportunity to strengthen our international academic ties,” Dr. Stefanidis said. “I derived great joy from serving as an academic ambassador of St. John’s University and the US.”