BCD Travel announces 2018 management associates

BCD Travel names three recent graduates for international business travel immersion program

UTRECHT, The Netherlands, April 19, 2018 – Global business travel management company, BCD Travel, today announced the names of three recent university graduates chosen to participate in its highly selective Management Associate Program (MAP). The graduates will travel across the world for six weeks to learn from travel industry professionals, experience diverse cultures and get firsthand exposure to corporate travel.

“One of BCD Travel’s great strengths is our ability to attract and retain exceedingly talented people needed to fulfill our mission of  helping businesses to travel smart and achieve more,” said Christian Dahl, SVP of Talent Management and Global Human Resources for BCD Travel. “This program attracts exceptional recent graduates and prepares them to embark in successful careers in the corporate travel industry. It also positions BCD Travel as an employer of choice for other bright and talented people looking for satisfying careers.”

BCD Travel partnered with the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) to develop MAP. The three associates will meet with executives in New York, Sao Paulo, Shanghai and New Delhi. Upon their return, they will begin internships at BCD Travel, with an opportunity to earn offers for permanent positions with the company.

“Despite its size and importance to every economy, the corporate travel industry often escapes the awareness of many students as an opportunity for building a career,” says Dahl. “Travel and Entertainment represents the second largest single expense for many companies, and total global expenditures on business travel exceed $1.2 trillion each year.”

The associates chosen for the 2018 MAP include.:

Jenn O’Connell – a graduate in digital marketing from The University of Georgia, Terry College of Business, in Athens, Ga. A student of advertising and marketing, she has developed a passion for effective communication and building strong, lasting relationships.  A volunteer swim coach, she hopes through MAP to build a greater understanding from different cultures and to boost her ability to identify and leverage the strengths of team members. “I want to learn from my peers and colleagues across the globe about how travel changes people’s perspectives of the world around them,” says O’Connell.

Chad Palucka – a graduate in international business from Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, Pa. The former soccer captain plans to apply lessons about teamwork and performing his best on the field to his professional career. He will join BCD following an internship with an engineering and electronics company in Germany.  “I am fascinated by other cultures, and feel that working with people of various backgrounds is an important part of any company’s or individual’s growth,” he says.

Korie Wilson – a graduate in hospitality and tourism management with a business minor from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich. From an early age, Wilson learned the fundamentals of business and leadership through her experience working for her mother’s business. She looks forward to the insight to be gained through exposure to various cultures after a service trip to Zambia reaffirmed her passion for crossing borders. Says Wilson, “I hope to build a career that is constantly challenging me and pushing me to grow as an individual and professional who makes a difference in the lives of others.