Jayakar Dalavai, a business professor and management expert from India, will be the first lecturer in Tabor College?s new scholar-in-residence program.
He will teach management skills and mentor students about the changing global business environment during Interterm, Jan. 5-28.
Dalavai?s wife, Julia, a longtime staff member for Campus Crusade for Christ and CBN India, will accompany her husband to the Tabor campus.
Tabor Provost Lawrence Ressler proposed the scholar-in-residence program to increase the academic vitality and diversity on campus.
?My hope is that Jayakar will be the first of many experts we bring to campus for short periods,? Ressler said. ?The scholar-in-residence program will also provide us with a way to reconnect alumni to current students in a way that will benefit all.?
While at Tabor, Dalavai will teach Introduction to Business and give public lectures on several topics; Julia will share her faith experiences with students, faculty and staff.
?Julia is especially interested in interacting with women during her time here,? Ressler said.
After earning his bachelor?s degree in mathematics from Osmania University in India in 1963, Dalavai came to the United States and went to work for what is now Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railways. He worked for that company for 17 years and he was a consultant for information technology and management for more than 10 years.
In 1979, while working with the railroad in various capacities, he earned his bachelor?s degree in computer information systems from Washburn University in Topeka, and, in 1981, a master of business administration degree from Emporia State University.
Then in 2000, he earned his certified project manager diploma in advance project Management from Stanford University, in Palo Alto, Calif., along with his project management professional certification.
Dalavai returned to India in 2005, after his first wife, Jaya Dalavai, died of cancer. He earned his doctorate in business management in 2009 from Osmania University in Hyderabad. His dissertation topic was ?Contribution of the Silicon Valley Asian Indian Information Technology Sector to the U.S. Economy.?
While in India, he taught and served in administrative roles at Gulbarga University and Osmania University.
Julia was born and raised in India and hails from the state of Andhra Pradesh. During her college years she was actively involved with Evangelical Students Union of India.
After college, she joined Campus Crusade for Christ in India as a full-time staff member, working with college students as well as professionals. She traveled extensively throughout India for 24 years.
Her last employment was with CBN India, where she was a counselor and a coordinator for Operation Blessings. She was presented with the President?s Award in 2006 by CBN founder Pat Robertson. Julia also served Mennonite Brethren English Church, Hyderabad, as a youth and women?s counselor.
Jayakar and Julia were married in 2007 and currently reside in Bedford, Texas, where he works in semi-retirement as executive vice president of Enterprises Without Borders, a small business specializing in global communications and management studies.
According to Ressler, the Dalavais will help build the growing relationship between Tabor and the Mennonite Brethren community in India, where students, faculty and staff have traveled on several occasions.
?Dr. Dalavai and Julia will add to the richness of the campus in many ways,? Ressler said. ?This will be the most sustained educational interaction with India to date.
?Having the Dalavais stay on campus will benefit students by increasing their awareness of India in the global economy, the work of the church in India, and the personal faith journey of these two outstanding servants of God.?
