Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow
Titled and Distinguished Professor and Clinical Associate ProfessorManagement and Business Law
ude[dot]ui[at]retsewfc
From Classroom to World: Developing Global Leaders Through Intellectual Diversity
First, I tackle the gap between legal education and real-world gender dynamics. Many business students encounter complex issues related to sex discrimination, gender identity, and power in the workplace, yet traditional courses often treat these topics narrowly or superficially. The work examines how a business law curriculum can better prepare students to navigate the ethical, interpersonal, and legal realities they will face as managers and leaders. This research responds to a critical need: helping future professionals recognize prepossession, understand the law, and approach gender-related conflicts with clarity and empathy. Second, my research addresses the problem of cultivating intercultural competence in an era when global engagement increasingly happens online. Traditional study-abroad programs, while valuable, are inaccessible to many students due to financial, logistical, or personal barriers. The research examines how virtual exchange experiences can foster intercultural learning and cross-cultural understanding without requiring physical travel. By identifying evidence-based ways to measure digital intercultural competence, we aim to expand equitable access to global learning opportunities and prepare students to collaborate effectively across cultures.