Sustainable Development and Social Entrepreneurship in Malawi 2014
Program Leaders
A quick introduction to the folks in charge.
HEATHER DIXON-FOWLER, PhD.
Dr. Heather Dixon-Fowler is an Assistant Professor in the Management Department and Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Appalachian State University. She teaches a variety of entrepreneurship courses and supervises the entrepreneurship summer internships. She developed the first undergraduate Social Entrepreneurship course in the College of Business and co-developed an entrepreneurship Summer Study-Abroad Program in Vietnam. This is her second year in Malawi.
She earned a PhD in Business Administration with an emphasis in corporate strategy from the University of Arkansas where she also worked as part of the original team at the Applied Sustainability Center. She is particularly interested in bridging relationships between representatives from corporations, NGOs and the academic community. Her research on corporate social and environmental responsibility has been published in academic journals and has been recognized in Forbes and Business Week online.
Heather lives in Boone with her husband, two children, and three dogs.
JENNIFER WESTERMAN, PhD.
Jennifer Westerman is Assistant Professor of Sustainable Development. Her research and teaching interests include Environmental Justice, Working Class Studies, and Environmental Literature and Humanities. She has taught courses on an introduction to Sustainable Development, Environmental Justice and Sustainability, and the literature of Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University.
Jennifer has a PhD from the University of Nevada's Literature and Environment Program and an MA in American Studies from Utah State University. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Central America.
MEREDITH CHURCH
Meredith Church is the International Programs Coordinator & Student Advisor for the College of Business. She has lived in Mexico, Spain, Uruguay and Honduras and is fluent in Spanish. She has worked with Alternative Spring Break programs in Brazil and in the Dominican Republic and has organized and led two summer-long volunteer trips to Honduras with World Camp for Kids. She has led or co-led COB programs to Malawi, Costa Rica, Cuba, Turkey, France and Brazil.
Meredith has a Master's degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Kansas with research emphasis on national identity and language.
“Study abroad can change the way you see the world. It can open doors you didn't know existed. It can connect you with people you will never forget. I encourage all students to make sure they go international during their college career."
Meredith Church