KLAMATH FALLS — Come September, Klamath Community College student Hunter White will board a jet for Rennes, France — his first time out of the country and the first time he's ever left home for an extended period of time.
Another first? White will be the first KCC student to take advantage of the Rennes School of Business partnership with KCC.
Rennes is an internationally renowned school of business located about 40 miles southwest of Paris. KCC partnered with the school two years ago, as well as the CESI School of Engineering in France. Several CESI students have visited from France over the last two years during winter term.
White is working toward a business and administration degree with an emphasis on supply chain management.
"What really sold me on Rennes was I could get a business degree in one year in what would normally take me two years. I'd be basically taking two years of schooling and putting it into one. That way I can enter the workforce sooner with less expense." — Hunter White
Further, Rennes is a prestigious school and attracts students from all over the globe, so the ability to network with diverse business leaders in one location is of great benefit to the students.
KCC students attend the Klamath Falls campus for two years to earn an associate degree in business. If they choose, they can attend Rennes for a third year and earn the equivalent of a four-year business degree, saving time and money.
"I found that tuition at Rennes is comparable or even less than in-state tuitions," White said.
All the courses are taught in English, but White plans on steeping himself in the French culture while there.
"I am big on French classical music and hope to visit cathedrals, the Paris catacombs, Normandy among other sites. Perhaps I could get an internship when I finish as a translator between French and English." — Hunter White
White is the son of Mary and Scott White. He was home schooled until high school, joining Crosspoint prior to coming to KCC. He also ran track in high school, attending state track meets in his junior and senior years. A fan of mathematics, White placed second in a regional trigonometry contest, qualifying him for the state trigonometry event.
White took dual-credit classes from KCC while in high school, including trigonometry, writing and Spanish. He also studied project management, a new program at KCC that focuses on planning and implementing large operational projects.
After taking a year off following high school and working at Steen Sports Park, White decided to return to college to get a degree.
"I really love logistics, I'm a huge numbers person as my friends and family will tell you. And I love micromanaging, not in the sense of looking over one's shoulder, but making things run smoothly, punctual, accounting for redundancies, that sort of thing." — Hunter White
White has plans to work in the seafood industry, such as Pacific Seafood, one of the Northwest's largest producers.
"I have to thank my KCC instructors for guiding me," White said. That includes Business Program Lead Linda Williamson, Accounting Program Lead Lacey Hammond and Director of International Programming Fred Griffiths.
For more information about KCC and its programs, visit www.klamathcc.edu.
