Dr. Christine Hagedorn is Assistant Professor and Discipline Coordinator of the Business Department at Rosemont. Learn about her career in international relations and higher education and what led her to Rosemont.
Q: Please share with the Rosemont community about your college life and the beginning of your business career.
A: When I was an undergraduate student at St. John's University, my dream was to work on Wall Street and be in the finance and business world. I loved journalism as well, so I studied business, economics, and journalism so I could become a reporter for The Wall Street Journal. I also had the chance to study abroad in Budapest, Hungary, and would have loved to be able to cover Wall Street, while living in Europe. A job opportunity was presented to me to be a reporter covering economic matters for the Korean Embassy. So, I took the job and worked in international business for the Korean government in Washington, D.C. for four years. After that, I worked for the United Nations, still with the Korean government. Then I decided to go for my MBA (Master of Business Administration) and began to work full-time at Wagner College in higher education. When I was in my 40s, I got my doctoral degree in Applied Management Theory. I never planned to continue to work in higher education, but 31 years later here I am.
Q: What led you to Rosemont?
I saw a job posting for a professor to teach international business and management, and it was perfect for me. When I came for my interview, I fell in love with the campus. I started in fall ‘17, and this is my sixth-year teaching.
Q: What is your favorite thing about teaching at Rosemont?
What I love is helping students to personalize learning and being able to connect it to something they understand because that is where the new knowledge becomes real. Hearing the students' ideas, witnessing their creativity, being in a classroom where we all learn from one another, being able to facilitate an environment where students come to something they never knew, be supported, and leave with the skills and confidence to succeed in things they never thought they would be able to do.
Q: What advice would you give to a professor who has never taught before? How can they connect with their class?
Make the learning iterative; build upon what you teach, and teach it in small sections, but make sure as you move on, you’re taking what they’ve learned and bringing it into the next lesson. With assignments broken into small sections, students can see the journey and the process. You can connect with your students if you do the journey with them and work step by step alongside them.
Q: What advice can you give to students who have shifted goals and might be nervous about taking a new path?
I have a quote that I always say: hold fast to the vision and let the form be flexible. For me, I always had a vision of being around the world of finance, business, and international trade. So, I knew what excited me, and anyone else will know what excites them. I was thinking I should write for a business paper and didn’t think about anything else, but I let the form be flexible and when the job became open to work for the Korean government, I didn’t say no. So, my advice to students is that something new can catch your attention and always stay true to the things that you enjoy and do them well. Say ‘yes’ to new adventures because every step you take will lead you to the next place, and if you have that vision of what you truly love, you will get to a place you never imagined. Have faith in yourself, and don’t question yourself; love it and do what you love.
Q: Can you tell me about your life outside of Rosemont?
I live an hour away from campus with my husband, and dog, and I have two children, both grown and graduated from college. We’re a very close-knit family, and we enjoy eating dinner together. We love to garden, and we grow our own food and flowers. My husband and I bird watch, and we love to be surrounded by nature. I read every morning and every night. I love to watch Hallmark movies with my kids. I also love the arts and enjoy going to museums, musicals, and theater performances.
