UToledo Sales Professor Awarded Fulbright to Finland

UToledo Sales Professor Awarded Fulbright to Finland

Dr. Ellen Pullins received a Fulbright Specialist award to complete a project at University of Eastern Finland (UEF) during fall semester.

The Fulbright program is devoted to increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through international educational exchanges.

Pullins is a Schmidt Research Professor of Sales and Sales Management and a professor of marketing in the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation at The University of Toledo. Having previously received a Fulbright Scholar award for a full semester, Pullins said the importance of the Fulbright mission is in increasing understanding and promoting friendly relations with other countries.

"It helps to build empathy and cultural understanding, while facilitating relationships with scholars abroad," she said. "The specialist program is designed to promote U.S. scholars as expert consultants to help in building or improving curriculum, program planning, policies and faculty development."

The Fulbright Specialist program is an opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two- to six-week project-based exchanges at host institutions worldwide.

Pullins will be working with the UEF's highly successful Master Program in International Business and Sales Management.

"There have been many changes in the sales field, and the curriculum hasn't been updated since its inception and needs to be enhanced. This enhancement needs to incorporate the latest research findings and align with current industry expectations," Pullins said. "The primary objective of this project is to revamp the program by integrating these elements into the forthcoming version of the curriculum."

Pullins will be working on individual faculty development in teaching and research, sharing best practice on teaching sales and curriculum development in the U.S., meeting with the department to conduct a curriculum audit and making recommendations on curriculum enhancement.

"Exchanges such as these help in understanding unique perspectives and new ways of thinking," she said. "Working intensively with a university in another country promotes cross-cultural dialogue and shared knowledge. While I hope to make a significant impact on UEF, I know that it will translate to important benefits - not just for me but also for the Schmidt School for Professional Sales and the Neff College of Business and Innovation."