NIU students interested in expanding their views of other cultures are invited to join the Association of International Students Interested in Economics and Commerce (AIESEC).

The group began at NIU in 1962 and since then has managed to attract 52 members on campus.

The international chapter of AIESEC reaches out to 78 countries and has 70,000 members worldwide.

Maribeth McGuire, vice president of external relations, said AIESEC has two main goals.

One of the objectives is to open students’ minds to different cultures.

“We want to promote cultural understanding through business,” McGuire said.

The second goal is to introduce students to the world of business.

“Our other focus is gaining business contacts,” McGuire said. “It gives NIU students a direction in business and a link to the outside world.”

AIESEC accomplishes these goals by working with international companies and taking in students from other countries by making sure they have a place to live and a job relating to their area of study. In return, AIESEC sends NIU students to other countries for internships with these companies.

McGuire said AIESEC offers several opportunities to students.

“You get to meet people involved in international business, which looks good on a resume and helps you make your connections,” she said.

McGuire said the people on the AIESEC committee are interesting as well.

“It is a very diverse group of people,” McGuire said. “These people know how to have a great time, but their primary goal is to get the work done, and they do it.”

Members of the group are required to attend at least one conference offered at any location.

“Even the regional conferences allow students to meet people from all over the world,” McGuire said.

Students interested in joining the group are asked to attend a meeting and to go through an interview to give the committee an idea of which area the new member should work with.

General meetings, which are open to the public, are every other week beginning at 9:15 p.m. The next one will be on Sept. 14 in Wirtz Hall.

Lewis Sutton from Pet-Ag, a company which manufactures and markets pet products, will be AIESEC’s first speaker.

Sutton will be focusing his discussion on marketing in Asia and how to adapt products to the international market.