D. Steven White

Steve White is Associate Professor of Marketing and International Business, in the Charlton College of Business's Marketing and Management Information Systems departments, teaching courses on marketing principles, international marketing and international business.

I've been at UMass Dartmouth since fall semester 1998. I came here from Bridgewater State College, where I was a professor from 1996-1998.

Now fully into a career dedicated to education and research, White admits he took a non-traditional path:

"I wasn't a good student as an undergraduate."

He says that to inspire students not to give up, because they can change the path they are on, with persistence.

The self-described "not very good student " went on to earn a BSBA and an MA from Bowling Green State University, and an MBA and a DBA from Cleveland State University.

I'm a big believer in and supporter of public higher education. All four degrees are from public institutions of higher education and two are from an urban campus in the middle of downtown Cleveland. I'm a first generation college student and the only member of my family to graduate -- much like many of our students.

In addition to teaching, White researches areas such as seafood marketing, international services marketing, global e-commerce, international graduate business education and international marketing and has compiled an international business research resource site.

He also serves on the Board of Directors for the International Trade Assistance Center, a non-profit organization, based in Fall River, MA, that seeks to expand the region's economy by improving the international competitiveness of local companies.

White believes in developing a relationship with his students--in the classroom, out of the classroom, and sometimes in another professor's classroom. He takes Portuguese language courses, alongside undergraduate and graduate students, at UMass Dartmouth "to better serve the local international business community."

Each year, White and fellow Charlton faculty member Dr. Godwin Ariguzo take a number of students in the international business program overseas to countries such as Cape Verde and Brazil, as a part of the International Business Association's (IBA) overseas taskforce, which offers experiential learning with a focus on service-based learning.

Students and faculty conduct research for local companies who have an interest in overseas markets, such as Amaremesh Technologies (an aquaculture supply company from Fall River), Advanced Marine Technology's Organic Gem fertilizer (Dartmouth), Fall River Shirt Company, South Coast Development Partnership and Vanson Leathers (motorcycle leathers from Fall River).

White notes, "The IBA Overseas Taskforce is one of the longest running and most successful international business programs in the USA." It is also, as he proclaims, "wicked cool."

Our student officers run the show and should get all of the credit for the work done. They interact with the local international trade associations (the International Trade Assistance Center and MassExport), determine the research needs of local companies, select the target countries for research based on the feedback from the companies, make all of the travel arrangements and manage the $55,000+ trip budget.

My, and Dr. Ariguzo's, job is to structure the learning experience, provide guidance, serve as chaperones, assure quality and grade student participants on their work.

I really like traveling overseas with my students, especially if they've never traveled before, opening up their eyes to the beauty and diversity of our world.

When not in the classroom or working overseas, White practices martial arts, which he began studying in 1998 "as a way of trying to get back into shape" and earned his shodan (first degree black belt) in Uechi-Ryu karate four years later at age 42. He also studied Brazilian Ju-Jitsu for two years during that time period and earned his PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) open water diver (scuba diving) certification in 2003.

He is a faculty advisor for the Ski and Snowboard Club (he used to manage alpine ski/outdoor sporting goods shops and was an alpine ski instructor), and co-advisor for the International Business Association (prior to academia he was the vice president of an advertising agency).

I like interacting with students. I take classes with them and work out with them in our Rec. Center.

Maintaining a relationship with students is very important to him. He reflects that his most memorable experiences were twice receiving (in 2000 and 2003) the Charlton College of Business's Thomas J. Higginson Award for Excellence in Teaching. Each year business students select two to three professors as their teacher(s) of the year; winning professors are not eligible for the award for three years.

I have a reputation for being available for the students and for helping/assisting them when I can. I'm proud of our students and their accomplishments.

He’s also very proud of one particular UMass Dartmouth student, his son, Reilly White ’06, a senior finance major.

My wife Jeanne and I have four children (three sons and one daughter). "We hope that they will all graduate from UMass Dartmouth."

 Last Updated On: 11/16/05