USF’s China Business Studies Initiative (CBSI) is excited to announce that we are now
recruiting outstanding USF students (preference will be given to CBSI’s International
Student Ambassador Program members: http://usfcbsi.org/isap) for 2022 Global
Sustainability Challenge (GSSC: https://www.stevensinitiative.org/about-us/). CBSI is
collaborating for the first time with IREX to connect students in the United States, Jordan,
and Iraq to virtually collaborate on a sustainable solution to a contemporary business challenge.
Bi-national teams engage during an eight-week period (Feb 6- Apr 9, 2022) to create a
sustainable business solution to a challenge identified by industry partners across business
sectors. Throughout the challenge participants will develop career readiness skills, network with
industry professionals, and participate in a virtual career fair. At the conclusion of GSSC, bi-
national teams will submit a video pitch and business concept for their prototype to the Virtual
Global Business Expo where the top three finalists will be selected by an advisory committee
comprised of industry professionals and educators. Top three teams will receive small grant
awards of $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 as seed money to develop their winning ideas.
An option to complete a Directed Study (DS) course by participating in this challenge is also
available and strongly encouraged. The DS uses the Global Solutions curriculum that teaches
students to innovate and solve problems using the Design Thinking approach and facilitates
connections between people of different backgrounds. The curriculum has both synchronous
and asynchronous activities. The DS is a two to four- unit course.
Interested participants should email Professor Vivian Faustino at
vrfaustinopulliam@usfca.edu to apply before January 18 th , 2022.