Andrea Eichhorns academic adventure has taken her from Fulda, Germany, to Morgantown.

Her journey will culminate Sunday (Dec. 11), when she dons her cap and gown to participate in West Virginia Universitys December Graduates Convocation.

The 26-year-old Eichhorn will not only be celebrating her personal accomplishments, but marking a milestone for the WVU College of Business and Economics. She is the first student from Fulda to complete a master of business administration degree through WVU s joint program with Fachhochschule Fulda University of Applied Sciences.

Andrea represents the first of the Fulda students to experience WVU s American business model with skills to bring home to Germany,said Paul Speaker, director of WVU s MBA programs.We could hardly have found a better pioneer than Andrea. She excelled in our program and will be a great ambassador for the future of this program.

Under an exchange program that began in 2000, students from Fulda can spend a semester learning about American business and culture, while WVU students in the executive MBA program travel to Germany to learn about the intricacies of international business through a nine-day intensive course.

Having international business experience is becoming a necessity for todays graduates, Speaker said. The collaborative MBA program is the latest addition to the WVU -Fulda partnership.

Based on our student exchange experience, the WVU -Fulda MBA degree is a natural extension of this effort,said Dietrich Schaupp, professor of management and industrial relations.Truly, this is a win-win situation for all of us. I could not be more pleased with this exchange.

Eichhorns adventure at WVU began as an undergraduate student. She developed a passion for Mountaineer football and even joined the equestrian club.

I always wanted to come back for graduate school because I had such a great experience,she said.WVU is a wonderful place to study with great possibilities for the students.

For the past year, she has called an apartment in Westover her home.

I met so many nice people over here that made the experience really special,she said.The professors are all very committed, knowledgeable and helpful.

Some of Eichhorns favorite WVU memories include attending shows at the Creative Arts Center and listening to Festival of Ideas speakers.

A week after December Convocation, she plans to fly back to Germany, where she will celebrate Christmas with family and then write a thesis for a master of arts degree in international management at the Fachhochschule Fulda. She would like to pursue a career in the financial services industry.