IRVINE : Mexican Students Lobby for Trade Pact

An international trade summit of sorts is unfolding this week behind the orange groves at Irvine Valley College.

The guests of honor are not foreign dignitaries but a group of five college students from Hermosillo, Mexico, one of Irvine’s sister cities.

The students are on a mission, hoping to learn all they can about the United States economy and culture while trying to convince an American public that the proposed North American Free Trade Agreement can benefit both countries.

Over the last five days, they have visited various high-tech companies and research facilities and participated in discussions about the agreement.

“I think Mexico and the United States have a lot to offer each other,” said student Juan Lam, 20. “This is a good start to support” free trade.

The visit is part of a new exchange program between Universidad del Noroeste in Hermosillo and Irvine Valley College’s International Business Program.

Earlier this year, several Irvine Valley College instructors toured Hermosillo, meeting with university and business leaders and visiting key industrial sites. Later this month, five students from Irvine plan a trip to Hermosillo.

The purpose of the program is to broaden the public’s understanding of Southern California’s biggest trading partner and in the process break down some American misconceptions about Mexico, said Dixie Massaro, chairwoman of Irvine Valley College’s School of Business.

“There are a lot of stereotypes that people have” about Mexico, Massaro said. “It’s important to understand what Mexico is all about. There are a lot of trade opportunities there.”

Trade was a major topic at an Industrial League of Orange County conference that the Mexican students attended earlier this week. The students sat through lectures on everything from job training to multiculturalism and participated in round-table discussions on the proposed trade pact.

Student Aldo Prantina, 18, said that the discussions expanded his cultural awareness. “Not all the people (in the United States) are of the same culture,” he said. “There are a lot of different cultures and ethnic groups here.”

The tour also gave the students a chance to visit some Irvine-based companies whose advanced technologies could be an important part of any increase in U.S.-Mexico trade. On Thursday, they toured Unisys Corp.’s robotics display.

Irvine Valley College officials expressed satisfaction with the exchange program, which was coordinated with the city of Irvine and funded by a grant from the Kellogg Foundation.

“What this does is take us beyond the classroom. It broadens our horizons,” Massaro said. “When you get down to it, the first thing you (need) in international business is contacts. . . . We are trying to establish some ties.”