Alumni Spotlight

Robert Collins '77

Shortly after his graduation from Stonehill, Robert Collins '77 worked for a financial services company in Boston which sent him to open an office in China.

In total, he spent 12 years there and immersed himself in Chinese daily and professional life. In 2007, he co-authored Doing Business in China for Dummies, which came as no surprise to colleagues, who dubbed him the "expert" on China and asked him questions about doing business there each day. Collins says the book covers many of the questions posed to him over the years.

"I have a total appreciation for Chinese culture and values -- which I credit to my time as a sociology major. Stonehill prepared me to have a unique understanding of other cultures and people, which benefited me in international business," explains Collins, who also holds an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Although Collins now resides with his family in the Chicago area, he still travels to China every month and spends approximately 20 percent of his time there. Collins does his part to pass on his Chinese knowledge -- all of his children are fluent in Mandarin. He also does pro bono work for nonprofits dealing with China and promoting public initiatives to teach Chinese language in local schools. "It's a nice way to pay it forward and give back to the community," he states.