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2008 Detroit Auto Show: Northwood University Scores Exclusive Auto Show Partnership


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  • SEE ALSO: Complete 2008 Detroit Auto Show Coverage
  • North American International Auto Show Selects Northwood Students to Staff Show Floor

    MIDLAND, Mich., Jan. 11 -- Students of Northwood University, a private, nonprofit, accredited university specializing in managerial and entrepreneurial education, will get an up-close, behind-the-scenes look into this year's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Selected by the NAIAS for an exclusive experiential learning partnership with the auto show, the students will gain hands-on experience, learning the intricate operations of a national auto show. This is the sixth year that Northwood students are participating in the partnership.

    The NAIAS internship program places 28 Northwood students in key full-time positions for the opening week of the auto show, January 11-18, 2008, including the NAIAS Press Preview, Industry Preview and the Charity Preview black-tie gala. Students are in charge of exhibitor assistance, event assistance, press credentialing, press room maintenance, media tours and opening ceremony coordination.

    "We selected Northwood students to fulfill these roles for a reason," said Ken Schewe, director, Educational Programs, NAIAS. "They are bright, talented and extremely motivated," he continued. "The internships are not just for the benefit of the students -- they are integral to the auto show."

    Students involved in this year's NAIAS are part of Northwood's Automotive Marketing and Aftermarket Management and Hotel, Restaurant and Resort Management programs. Many have additional experience with previous NAIAS events as well as with Northwood's own annual international auto show, the largest outdoor auto show in North America.

    "This internship is such an incredible opportunity for us to be on the show floor as the biggest annual event in the North American automotive industry is coming together," said Nikki Paparella, Northwood University student leader, NAIAS. "It is an extremely competitive internship, and this is not a job that we take lightly."

    Now in its 20th year as an international event, the NAIAS is among the most prestigious auto shows in the world and is one of the largest media events in North America. In 2007, NAIAS attracted more than 6,000 media from 62 countries and 42 states for worldwide and North American vehicle unveilings at nearly 40 press conferences. Overall, more than 700,000 people attended the show during Public Days and NAIAS 2007 added $550 million to southeast Michigan's economy. For more information on the NAIAS, visit http://www.naias.com/.

    For more information about Northwood University's experiential learning, visit http://www.northwood.edu/. http://www.northwood.edu/autoshow

    About Northwood University

    Northwood University is a private, nonprofit, accredited university specializing in managerial and entrepreneurial education offering four-year degrees in a variety of enterprising fields. The Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management's full-time, evening and Switzerland MBA programs make Northwood's free market-based degree offerings in management and enterprise the most complete anywhere. The university emphasizes the importance of free enterprise and is dedicated to the preservation of the free market and the important relationship between business and the arts.

    Northwood operates a residential campus in Michigan, Florida and Texas; the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan, Maine; University College outreach centers and locations in nine states in the U.S., including a Distance Education online program; and several international study programs abroad.