ABOUT THE PROGRAM

WHY HUNTSMAN

The Huntsman Program not only offers a unique education integrating language, the liberal arts, and business, but students also enjoy the benefits of a small, supportive community that many describe as a “home away from home” and a large, vibrant Ivy-League university full of opportunities at their fingertips. Students often say the sense of community within the program, beginning with the living/learning community in the first year, is one of the most beneficial aspects of the program. All Huntsman freshmen live together on the third floor of Kings Court/English College House, where they develop lifelong bonds between students from diverse backgrounds, in an environment that encourages them to practice their intercultural and linguistic skills on a daily basis.

PROGRAM HISTORY

The Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business was the first of kind in the U.S. to integrate international studies, foreign language and business education at the undergraduate level, with the objective of equipping a small and highly qualified group of students with the knowledge, specialized skills, and perspective to understand, analyze, and address the economic, political, and cultural complexities of an increasingly global environment. The program would accomplish its objective by integrating the study of foreign language(s), area studies, international studies, and international business—one, integrated curriculum, jointly delivered by the College and Wharton, with the goal of preparing students for careers in fields such as international business and finance, international law, education, government service, work in international environmental organizations, and international and non-governmental organizations. Huntsman students spend a semester abroad, deepening their international competencies and intercultural knowledge, while attaining high level mastery in one of the program’s 11 target languages.

Then Wharton Undergraduate Dean Dr. Janice Bellace and the first faculty co-directors Dr. Roger Allen from the School or Arts & Sciences and Dr. Jamshed Ghandhi from the Wharton School were instrumental in establishing the program, which saw its first cohort of graduates in May 1998. Subsequent faculty co-directors have been Dr. Janice Bellace (WH), Dr. Lance Donaldson-Evans (SAS), Dr. Rob Jensen (WH), Dr. Rudra Sil (SAS) and Dr. Harbir Singh (WH).

In 1997 Jon Huntsman Sr. W ’59  and his family made a gift of $10 million to endow the program, which was subsequently renamed the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business. The Huntsman Program Advisory Board was established soon thereafter, with Paul Kelly CAS ’62 WG ’64 as the founding board chair.

In the years since its first cohort matriculated in 1994, the Huntsman Program has transformed into a vibrant and close-knit community with over 1000 alumni worldwide, defined by their international perspective. They share an eagerness to learn about languages, cultures and ideas different from their own—qualities that subsequently distinguish them as leaders in a variety of fields in the private, public and non-profit sectors. Huntsman graduates pursue careers around the world in diverse areas such as finance, consulting, politics, public policy, law, marketing, medicine, diplomacy, non-profit management, public health, education, international development, and technology. Many alumni are entrepreneurs, and several have been Rhodes, Marshall, Thouron,  and Fulbright Scholars.

Today, the Huntsman Program continues to innovate with new curricular initiatives such as the Global Immersion Program (an experiential learning course that takes place in different global cities around the world), as well as summer internship and research support, career counseling, and training in intercultural communication. After celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023, the Huntsman Program continues to evolve to meet pressing global challenges and to prepare culturally competent, ethically minded international leaders.

The Huntsman Program was established through a generous gift from Jon M. Huntsman Sr. and the Huntsman family.