Spring Break
World-wide, world-wise
A passionate international traveler, new IBS dean Bruce R. Magid takes on?Boston
by Julie Zong
Features | 10/16/07
Posted online at 9:03 PM EST on 10/15/07
When Bruce R. Magid was a sophomore in high school, a Latin American history and culture class captured his imagination.
"I had never been out of the country, and I said: 'That's really cool, that's what I want to do. I want to travel the world,'" Magid recalls.
This year, at the age of 56, Magid takes on the post of dean of the International Business School to replace Peter A. Petri, the founding dean.
Magid's interest in international business started with the history and culture course he took in high school, but it didn't stop there.
"I was interested in how countries interact with each other," he says. "I couldn't decide between working for the World Bank or joining the U.S. services. I traveled to different countries, and my interest in international [relations] was what led me to international banking."
Magid moved to Venezuela after graduating from college to finish his multidisciplinary Ph.D. in international economics, comparative politics and business law, which he had started at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. After receiving his Ph.D in 1977, Magid landed a job as the senior advisor to the minister of planning in Caracas, Venezuela while pursuing his doctoral work. He then worked in Venezuela for Bank of America as a senior vice president and managing director for 21 years.
As a Ph.D. student in Venezuela, Magid immersed himself in the cultural life of the country.
"One of the most stirring moments is [Venezuela's] Independence Day during the 5th of July … What was so interesting was the multicultural mix of Venezuelan people, and everybody took great pride in the founder, Símon Bolívar," Magid says. "Símon Bolívar is a symbol of economic development and vision for social justice."
Magid mentions that two volumes of Bolívar's work sit on his office shelf.
Leaving his cell phone and computer behind, Magid says he took weekend road trips to the Caribbean Sea and the Indies Mountains.
"I had never been out of the country, and I said: 'That's really cool, that's what I want to do. I want to travel the world,'" Magid recalls.
This year, at the age of 56, Magid takes on the post of dean of the International Business School to replace Peter A. Petri, the founding dean.
Magid's interest in international business started with the history and culture course he took in high school, but it didn't stop there.
"I was interested in how countries interact with each other," he says. "I couldn't decide between working for the World Bank or joining the U.S. services. I traveled to different countries, and my interest in international [relations] was what led me to international banking."
Magid moved to Venezuela after graduating from college to finish his multidisciplinary Ph.D. in international economics, comparative politics and business law, which he had started at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. After receiving his Ph.D in 1977, Magid landed a job as the senior advisor to the minister of planning in Caracas, Venezuela while pursuing his doctoral work. He then worked in Venezuela for Bank of America as a senior vice president and managing director for 21 years.
As a Ph.D. student in Venezuela, Magid immersed himself in the cultural life of the country.
"One of the most stirring moments is [Venezuela's] Independence Day during the 5th of July … What was so interesting was the multicultural mix of Venezuelan people, and everybody took great pride in the founder, Símon Bolívar," Magid says. "Símon Bolívar is a symbol of economic development and vision for social justice."
Magid mentions that two volumes of Bolívar's work sit on his office shelf.
Leaving his cell phone and computer behind, Magid says he took weekend road trips to the Caribbean Sea and the Indies Mountains.
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