Scott Baker

Here at Champlain, I have the privilege of teaching within both the International Business and Business programs.  I get to teach International Business, Global Business Environments, International Relations, Business Research Methods, Macroeconomics, and work with IB majors on their Independent Studies.  I have also had the privilege of teaching in the MBA program. In my classes, we explore not only the fundamentals of international business, but also pressing issues such as globalization, corporate social responsibility, socio-economic development, sustainable development, and ethics. 

Increasingly each business, regardless of whether or not they see themselves as "international," is impacted more and more by global developments.  I want my students to appreciate the interconnectedness between international business and relevant cultural, historical, and political issues.  "International business" is not simply taking one's business practices overseas or working domestically with a foreign operation, it's about recognizing and adapting to cultural, historical, political and economic variables.  Our students need to be aware of these variables and opportunities so they may be actively engaged in the increasingly global economy.  And they need to practice international business in a culturally and environmentally sensitive manner.

I try to practice what I teach by staying actively involved in global business and socio-economic issues, and staying informed of current affairs.  With experience in the financial sector and several years of teaching in various levels of education, I have lived and studied international business and political economy in China, Mexico, Nigeria, and several European nations.  In addition to published articles and presentations on socio-economic development and the role of multinational corporations within this area, I also co-authored a book comparing political development and democratization practices between different regional organizations (EU, NATO, AU, etc.) entitled Piecing a Democratic Quilt? Regional Organizations and Universal Norms (Kumarian Press) with Edward McMahon (University of Vermont).  I am also an Analyst for Freedom House (www.freedomhouse.org) on political development and human rights issues in Africa.

My personal and professional interests also overlap outside academia.  I am a co-founder and board member for Global Reach Partnerships (www.globalreachpartnerships.org) which works to empower resettled refugees in the Burlington area through career and educational support.  I also serve as an International Advisory Board Member for a Nigerian non-governmental organization concerned with economic and societal development (www.cehrd.org) and am involved with raising funds for private schools in the Niger Delta (www.bebor.org).  I am on the board of Green Across the Pacific (www.gatp.org) which increases global and environmental awareness through cultural exchange programs in Asia. 

Here at Champlain, I am the Faculty Advisor for the International Development Club which raises awareness of socio-economic disparities on local, national, and global levels, as well as raises funds to lend to entrepreneurs in developing countries through Kiva.  To date, the IDC has raised and issued nearly $3,000 in micro loans to over three dozen people in two dozen countries.  I am a member of the Sustain Champlain which is a group of faculty, staff and students dedicated to making Champlain College as environmentally friendly as possible.

I hold an M.S. in International Affairs from the Georgia Institute of Technology (US), a BA in International Relations from Carleton College (US), and am currently pursuing my doctorate at the University of Vermont in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program.  I have completed basic mediation training through Woodbury College. When not teaching or volunteering, I try to take advantage of the many outdoor activities available in Vermont with my wife, young son, and ever-energetic dogs.

TAGS: International Business