The distance is long between Grand Junction, Colorado and Mongolia, but the journey recently opened up new doors for a Colorado Mesa University (CMU) instructor.

Professor of business administration Dr. Tim Hatten traveled to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for his third Fulbright scholarship grant project.

Approaching his 30th year as a professor at CMU, Hatten accepted his last project representing the university while preparing for his retirement and completing his final semester in Spring 2025.

Though he may be retiring, Hatten still plans to travel and stay connected to his cultural exchanges.

In December of 2024, Hatten was selected to travel to Mongolia, where he worked with citizens to teach them how to start and run businesses in technology centers. He spent his time in Mongolia as a specialist in a business incubator.

“This Fulbright scholarship to Mongolia […] was especially rewarding for me because they were so hungry for what I brought to them,” said Hatten.

Mongolia’s economy is primarily made up of mining and agriculture and there is limited business activity.

“So they’re very hungry to get 21st-century business practices going,” Hatten explained.

Business and Automotive tech student Naven Morgan explained the benefit of entrepreneurship education in trades that theFulbright Scholarship supports.

“I think this is an important concept, as an individual who studies a trade […] business application is so difficult and being able to share our structure we have built for education in the United States can be beneficial to not only us but other countries,” said Morgan.

Throughout his time as a professor, Hatten has been very involved in the Fulbright Program. Having completed three Fulbright grants, he has had the opportunity to travel to other parts of the world, including the University of Reykjavik in Reykjavik, Iceland, as well as Copenhagen, Denmark.

Each of these scholarships provided Hatten with unique experiences, equipping him with the tools to strengthen his networking in the business field.

After being selected three times for the grant, Hatten has gained major recognition and has stood out as a candidate.

The Fulbright scholarship is one of the highest awards in academia with only 400 faculty members selected annually, according to the Fulbright Scholar website.

“[It] was originated by a senator from Arkansas, named William Fulbright, and he started it right after World War II with the idea that […] people in countries who become friends are less likely to go to war,” said Hatten.

The prestigious award gives top scholars from the United States the opportunity to complete cross-cultural faculty exchanges with counterparts from around the world, providing insights and ideas on how businesses operate in other countries.

Cross-cultural exchanges are crucial for universities to maintain connections with other countries and enhance foreign networking.

The knowledge of business practices varies by country and culture, and exchanging ideas and business strategies can help foster business growth in the U.S.

“I think cross-cultural business is definitely important because […] you can’t keep the information to yourself. The more you share, the more minds you get involved, and I think that’s very important for getting more brainpower on the topic you’re working on,” said third-year business student Bryce Quinn.

In addition to his success as a Fulbright scholar, Hatten is the author of a small business management textbook, which is currently the top-selling textbook in university markets.

Due to this widely acknowledged book, he has gained international recognition, establishing credibility and experience as a candidate for these exchanges.

Through these exchanges, Hatten has been able to bring back valuable knowledge and apply it to his work at Colorado Mesa University.

“If you do it right, you always bring back just as much, if not more, than you give. […] That’s the power of immersing yourself in another culture – coming back as a changed person. And I’ve brought that back into the classrooms here,” said Hatten.

This summer, Hatten plans on returning to Ulaanbaatar to continue his work, and to provide further support to the individuals involved in the business incubators.