Lunch with the US ambassador Susan R. McCaw

After having invited several highly distinguished guest speakers in cooperation with the US Embassy to the unique setting of the Baroque hall in Krems, an IMC delegation was given the great honor to take part in a private lunch at the Embassy of the United States in Vienna. Hosted by her Excellency Ambassador Mrs. Susan McCaw and in presence of Mr. Kilner, Deputy Chief of Mission, as well as Ms. Katherine M. Perez, Embassy PD Officer and Ms. Roswitha Haller, Senior Embassy staff member, the IMC delegation got the valuable opportunity to converse with Excellency McCaw about a variety of issues.

Before assuming her post as Ambassador on January 9, 2006, Mrs. McCaw was President of various private investment firms in the US. Prior to that, she was active in financing emerging growth companies in the technology industry and served as an international Business Analyst. Ambassador McCaw graduated from Stanford University and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. Together with her husband, Mr. Craig McCaw, she founded the charitable Craig and Susan McCaw Foundation and actively promotes issues like the fight against poverty, education and environmental protection as well as economic development and increasing the beneficial spread of technology.

As for her tenure as Ambassador, she set the objective to improve the public image and perception of the United States in Austria through, among others, increasing academic and professional exchanges between the US and Austria, particularly among young people.

Together with the founder of the IMC and current executive manager Mr. Heinz Boyer and Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, EXP Chair of International Law and Global Political Studies, three eight-semester students from the Export Oriented Management Program (Sita DeZoysa, Johanna Duenser and Roberto Thym), as well as the EXP alumni representative Mag. (FH) Manuela Bösendorfer, got the opportunity to participate in the lunch.

Her Excellency Mrs. McCaw expressed particular interest in the history of the IMC, as well as the high degree of internationalization of students. In addition, each student was asked to provide a short overview of their respective theses and Mrs. McCaw proved to be impressed by the huge variety of topics covered by IMC students. Mrs. McCaw indicated her strong desire to accept an invitation to deliver a guest lecture at the IMC in the future (most probably in fall) and to experience not only the vibrant international atmosphere at the campus Krems, but also the impressive natural beauty of the Wachau region.

Special thanks and tribute goes to Ms. Katherine M. Perez, the US Embassy PD Officer and Ms. Roswitha Haller, Senior Embassy staff member, who made this event possible.

Guest Lecture of H.E. Prof. Jack N. Rakove

As already regionally well-established place of visits and guest-lectures of prominent experts and top-diplomats from all over the world, the IMC University additionally keeps up on inviting the researchers and authors of best-selling scientific books. After having a pleasure to host the US Senior Vice President of Biotech North Caroline Center, Prof. Burke as well as Prof. Randall Balmer of Columbia University, the IMC invited under the auspices of the Export Studies Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies, Prof. Jack N. Rakove, the Pulitzer prize winner for a guest lecture on the Original meaning: Politics and Ideas in the making of the Constitution.

The IMC Baroque hall turned to be too small to lodge all of our fellows students and professors (including the IMC Vice-Rector and two study directors). It was an excellent opportunity to learn on politics and ideas in the constitution making, different interpretations of legal texts over legislative and executive branches of power including the extensive historical background. Extraordinary eloquent and inspiring lecture of Prof. Rakove was followed by tour-de-table with interesting questions asked by audience. Formal part of lecture was not the end of talks; the IMC Cocktail reception in honor of distinguished guest was the opportunity for our students to have an hour long additional, rather informal and frank conversation with Professor Rakove.

Prolific author of several books, radio & TV documentaries, and articles in nearly every of the influential US journals and newspapers, Prof. Rakove has an extraordinarily reach academic record and career; his book “Original Meanings” brought him the 1997 Pulitzer Prize in History.

Historian by background, prof. Rakove holds high degrees from the Haverfort and Harvard (PhD) University. He is currently finalizing book on a history: Revolutionaries: Inventing an American Nation, 1773 – 1791 (to be published by Houghton Mifflin), and many experts assume that this writings will be a huge best-seller in the US and beyond early next year.

Summing up at the end of this content-intensive and extremely valuable event with the IMC EXP Program Director Prof. Ernst FIETZ and Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, EXP Chair and principal host of the guest-lecture event, prof. Rakove stated that he was impressed by ambitions, vision and enthusiasm of the IMC faculty members as well as by huge interest, commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated throughout the questions and long discussion with him, and promised to return to our University in a due time again.

Special thanks and tribute goes to Ms. Katherine M. Perez, the US Embassy PD Officer and Ms. Roswitha Haller, Senior Embassy staff member, who make this event happening and were accompanying professor Rakove. It was the third event prepared in cooperation with the US Embassy (Amerika Haus) to which we all are very grateful.

Text: Mr. Bajrektarevic