A special event hosted by the IU Kelley School of Business Indianapolis at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum explores China’s role in Indiana’s economic future, along with a look at artifacts from its distant past: “Great Walls to Global Markets” features an expert panel discussing international business trends, followed by a tour of the ‘Terra Cotta Warriors’ exhibit on October 8th from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“Great Walls to Global Markets” is free and open to the public (register here); the program is designed for professionals interested in the challenges and opportunities that Indiana companies face in the global economy, including trade and investment with China. The evening includes a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by the panel discussion at 6:30 p.m. During the reception and after the panel, attendees are invited to take a complimentary tour of the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit, making its only U.S. stop in 2014 at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum.

“The same emperor who commissioned this terra cotta army also began building China’s Great Wall,” noted Kelley School of Business executive associate dean Phil Cochran. “Today’s reality is that we live in a world largely without economic ‘walls’ – the most successful companies operate and sell globally.”

Indiana’s exports have eclipsed $30 billion annually in recent years, and nearly one of every four Hoosier manufacturing jobs depends on overseas sales. An influx of foreign investment has also buoyed the state’s economy; more than 700 foreign-owned companies now operate in Indiana.

“Indiana calls itself the Crossroads of America, but we’re increasingly a global economic crossroads as well,” noted Marjorie Lyles, a Kelley professor of international strategic management who will help lead the ‘Great Walls’ panel discussion. “We still enjoy strong ties to our NAFTA neighbors, Canada and Mexico, but our fastest-growing trade partners are now countries like China and Brazil – that means new opportunities for Indiana firms.”

The Kelley School of Business Indianapolis offers its Evening MBA students a variety of hands-on consulting opportunities with Indiana companies with a global footprint, and has established partnerships with institutions and businesses around the world. For more than 15 years, Lyles has led groups of MBA students on regular trips to China to meet with U.S. companies and work with state-owned firms transitioning to competitive enterprises.

The School has also provided students with real-world business experiences in Brazil, Russia and other key international markets, and recently has explored new relationships in Africa (now home to seven of the world’s ten fastest-growing economies).

“A world-class business education demands a world-wide perspective,” added Cochran. “Most of our Indianapolis graduates choose to continue their careers in Central Indiana. Even so, they’re increasingly likely to do business internationally, and we’re preparing them to seize those opportunities.

“Bringing this event to the Children’s Museum is our way of exposing current and prospective students to a fascinating part of Chinese history – while making the case that understanding markets like China is essential business intelligence.”

The “Great Walls to Global Markets” panel discussion will include Kelley Indianapolis professor Marjorie Lyles; Nathan Stoner, Global Director of Business Development for Cummins Inc.; Bruce Brineman, General Manager of Operations for Caterpillar Inc.; and Kimberly Suhre, a Kelley Indianapolis Evening MBA student who led the last student consulting team in China and works at Turner Construction.