Zeeshan Awais BA (Honours) PAKISTAN Multicultural Windsor an Asset for Student with His Eyes on International Trade For Zeeshan Awais, one of the University of Windsor's biggest draws was its high proportion of international students. His family owns a firm that manufactures, imports and exports sporting goods and sportswear based in Iqbal, Pakistan. Mr. Awais wants to return eventually and help the firm expand internationally—and for that, he says, it's crucial to have international experience. "I have the opportunity to meet people from almost all over the world, and by meeting them I will have an idea of their culture, their interests and what they like and dislike," he says. "It will help me a lot in my business life. I can also make friendly relations with them so maybe in future they will be my customers. "For me, it's very important to know about the cultures of different nations," he adds. "The world has become a global village, and to compete with your competitors in the market, you should have more knowledge and experience; and I believe that I can get more knowledge and interact with people of different cultures at the University of Windsor." Mr. Awais's family has already had some international experience—but not all of it has been pleasant. The family firm was founded in Kuwait, and included a chain of outlets in the country by the time of the Iraqi invasion of 1990. The business was ruined by the war, he says, and his family returned to Pakistan, their original homeland, to start over. Since then, he says, the company has been successful. Although his goal is to complete a business degree, Mr. Awais is now enrolled in a BA (Economics) program because of a requirement that he have a prerequisite algebra course. After his studies, Mr. Awais plans to work for some time in Canada before returning to Pakistan to help the firm expand its reach—possibly into this country. "I will likely return back and join my family's business, and expand that business to Canada, America and European countries, because so far about 85 per cent of our business is in the Middle East and only 15 per cent is in Europe and East Asia," he says.