Camarillo, Calif., March 10, 2015 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) business majors will break out their winter coats and head north to Detroit on March 13 with Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics lecturer John Griffin, J.D.
The 14 students will be taking an intensive look into the crucible of the auto industry and how the Big Three (Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) are pulling out of the near-collapse during the recent recession.
“Other CI faculty express surprise that our students choose a trip to Detroit over more exotic locations for their spring break,” Griffin said. “It’s a testament to the fact that they really are serious about their education.”
Along with visits to the Big Three automakers manufacturing facilities, the students will meet with management representatives from each firm to discuss their business strategy, and how a recovering economy, a government bailout, and renewed focus on engineering and design have contributed to steering the all-American companies through the crisis.
“I’m very excited about going in there and seeing how they manufacture the cars,” said CI junior Adolfo Medina, 27, who has rarely been out of Ventura County. “I’m just expanding my wings and seeing where I can go.”
The trips are financed in part by CI’s Instructionally Related Activities fund, which enables instructors to take students on specialized learning tours.
This is the second time Griffin has led a trip to Detroit, the first being in 2012 when the Motor City had just gotten an infusion of federal funds to stay afloat.
“When we visited them in 2012, it was apparent to me they knew this was the end of the line,” Griffin said.
The students will be in Detroit from March 13-20, making 15 stops during their visit, including a meeting with selected faculty at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, who will discuss research into auto safety, and a stop to meet with officials from the United Auto Workers.
It won’t be all business, Griffin said. The group will also check out cultural highlights of this historic industrial city, whose artistic and musical roots run deep.
On April 22 at 7 p.m. in the John Spoor Broome Library, Griffin and the students will discuss their experience during a presentation which will be open to the public.
Detroit’s rise and fall is something we need to learn from, Griffin said—especially the next generation charged with shaping the future of American industry.
“Sixty years ago, Detroit was the second wealthiest city in the country,” Griffin said. “To see how far it has fallen in the course of 60 years is a lesson. The world is going to change.”
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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.