Northeastern Illinois University alumna Alaa Basatneh (B.A. ’15 Political Science) will be the keynote speaker for Northeastern Illinois University’s 2017 International Business Conference (IBC) on Feb. 6 and 7.
Basatneh is an editorial coordinator for Fusion, a Univision company that is geared toward the Millennial market. She also is the subject of “#chicagoGirl,” a documentary about her efforts on behalf of victims of the Syrian crisis. In January 2016, Basatneh was invited by U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) to attend President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union Address. Her keynote speech, titled “The Power of Diversity and Social Media in Finding a Career,” is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Feb. 6.
Free and open to the public, the annual conference is organized and run by students from Northeastern’s College of Business and Management, and gives students an opportunity to learn about business on an international scale, network with other students and professionals from the U.S. and abroad, and increase their knowledge and understanding of our diverse world.
Since its inception in 2002, the IBC has centered on a specific region of the globe. For the first time, the focus of the 2017 conference is diversity. Relevant topics, culture, food and speakers from different parts of the world will be featured.
The IBC averages 1,600 attendees, making it the largest conference of its kind in the Chicago area.
The conference will run from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. both days in Alumni Hall on the Main Campus.
