Elite Group of WVU Football Players Visit the Münster University of Applied Sciences
June 02, 2023 04:28 PM | Football
For more than 10 years, West Virginia University (WVU) and the Münster School of Business (MSB) at the Münster University of Applied Sciences have maintained a close relationship. The foundation for this cooperation was laid by Jennifer Burkart, M.A., who is from West Virginia and studied at WVU.
"It's a very lively exchange with exciting projects and annual summer schools, during which our business students can spend three weeks at WVU," the lecturer for Business English reported.
Now, Jennifer Burkart and Professor Dr. Mike Wasserman, also an American, received a visit from a special group of football players: the Chambers Elite Climbers.
The program takes its name from U.S. business executive John Chambers. The WVU alumnus and benefactor has contributed more than $1.6 million to the program, which trains up to 14
players a year who are enrolled in a variety of degree programs, including business administration.
The focus is not only on their sports careers, but also on life after football. Prof. Dr. Christian Schaupp of WVU and Senior Associate Athletics Director/Chief of Staff, Dr. Coleman Barnes, accompanied the players to Münster.
"The Chambers Elite Climbers program is the only one of its type in the country, focusing on enhancing the off-the-field development for our student-athletes," Barnes said. "In addition, these players help fill a stadium with 60,000 fans. It's big business."
Schaupp shares why the team is making the trip to Münster: "Many of the athletes have never left the States. They should acquire intercultural skills on the trip because there are not only German students here at this university, but also students from all over Europe, China and Latin America."
Ultimately, they are looking for the "real German experience," and Schaupp is convinced that they got that in Münster.
During their stay in Münster, the athletes visited the food processing company, GEA. Together with students from the master's degree program, digital business and innovative management, they toured a test farm with live cows and attended presentations by Christian Müller, Senior Director Portfolio, Market Intelligence and Sustainability bei GEA Farm Technologies and Professor Dr. Nora Verfürth from MSB on the topic of sustainability.
This prepared them to participate in a "hackathon." This meant coming up with solutions for next-generation farming and presenting their ideas to a panel of judges.
Redshirt junior offensive lineman Ja'Quay Hubbard reflected on what he gained from the visit, "I learned that the business of producing dairy products is much more complex than I thought. There's so much digitization involved," he noted.
Prof. Wasserman also traveled to Berlin with the student-athletes. In addition to the cultural sites, they visited startups, including UrbanFarm, founded by MSB Alumnus, Anne-Kathrin Kuhlemann.
"Our visitors are flying back to the U.S. with many new insights and perspectives," Prof. Wasserman said.
Burkart also is pleased with the visit. "I am really proud that WVU chose to organize this program for their elite student athletes together with MSB. It shows that we have built up a great cooperation over the years."
"It's a very lively exchange with exciting projects and annual summer schools, during which our business students can spend three weeks at WVU," the lecturer for Business English reported.
Now, Jennifer Burkart and Professor Dr. Mike Wasserman, also an American, received a visit from a special group of football players: the Chambers Elite Climbers.
The program takes its name from U.S. business executive John Chambers. The WVU alumnus and benefactor has contributed more than $1.6 million to the program, which trains up to 14
players a year who are enrolled in a variety of degree programs, including business administration.
The focus is not only on their sports careers, but also on life after football. Prof. Dr. Christian Schaupp of WVU and Senior Associate Athletics Director/Chief of Staff, Dr. Coleman Barnes, accompanied the players to Münster.
"The Chambers Elite Climbers program is the only one of its type in the country, focusing on enhancing the off-the-field development for our student-athletes," Barnes said. "In addition, these players help fill a stadium with 60,000 fans. It's big business."
Schaupp shares why the team is making the trip to Münster: "Many of the athletes have never left the States. They should acquire intercultural skills on the trip because there are not only German students here at this university, but also students from all over Europe, China and Latin America."
Ultimately, they are looking for the "real German experience," and Schaupp is convinced that they got that in Münster.
During their stay in Münster, the athletes visited the food processing company, GEA. Together with students from the master's degree program, digital business and innovative management, they toured a test farm with live cows and attended presentations by Christian Müller, Senior Director Portfolio, Market Intelligence and Sustainability bei GEA Farm Technologies and Professor Dr. Nora Verfürth from MSB on the topic of sustainability.
This prepared them to participate in a "hackathon." This meant coming up with solutions for next-generation farming and presenting their ideas to a panel of judges.
Redshirt junior offensive lineman Ja'Quay Hubbard reflected on what he gained from the visit, "I learned that the business of producing dairy products is much more complex than I thought. There's so much digitization involved," he noted.
Prof. Wasserman also traveled to Berlin with the student-athletes. In addition to the cultural sites, they visited startups, including UrbanFarm, founded by MSB Alumnus, Anne-Kathrin Kuhlemann.
"Our visitors are flying back to the U.S. with many new insights and perspectives," Prof. Wasserman said.
Burkart also is pleased with the visit. "I am really proud that WVU chose to organize this program for their elite student athletes together with MSB. It shows that we have built up a great cooperation over the years."
Players Mentioned
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Reid Carrico | Nov. 29
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Jeff Weimer | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Rich Rodriguez | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
