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Spring Break Global Immersions Provide a Window of Enlightenment Into Business Innovation and Best Practices Across the Continents

During spring break, Professional M.B.A. (PMBA) and Full-time M.B.A. students participated in Global Immersions to Spain and Brazil. Both itineraries were packed with visits to a wide range of companies and organizations and were designed to provide an insider’s view of the ways multinational conglomerates, small businesses, and start-ups are structured and how they operate. Undergraduate students also had time to explore Senegal, a West African nation with a vibrant and emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The PMBA students led by Sertan Kabadayi, Ph.D., Joseph Keating S.J. distinguished professor in business, professor of marketing, director of the PMBA program, and director of teaching excellence, spent their time in Barcelona, a major European business hub with a storied past in international trade, which today is known for its dynamic startup ecosystem, innovation, and entrepreneurship. They had the chance to meet with top executives at global companies—from Microsoft and BCG to Allianz Technology—as well as with leaders at sustainable footwear and apparel companies, Sivasdescalzo and SAYE.

Students also learned more about Barcelona through conversations with members of the Barcelona City Council and with executives from the Port of Barcelona. In addition, they were exposed to the city’s tech and entrepreneurial sectors through site excursions to Impact Hub Barcelona and EIT Urban Mobility. A tapas cooking class and a tour of Familia Torres vineyard provided them with the opportunity to sample local fare and gain a deeper understanding of the agricultural sector.

students in the Global Immersions program posing in front of a building in Spain

students in the Global Immersions program gathered around a laptop with students from Senegal

Students take part in Global Immersions in Spain, Brazil, and Senegal.

Full-time M.B.A. students led by Alex Markle, Ph.D., program director, and Linda Agnew, program manager, traveled to São Paulo, Brazil. Throughout the weeklong trip they visited some of Brazil’s most dynamic companies to explore how strategy, innovation, and business with purpose combine to create an unmatched level of excellence and profitability.

Site visits included time spent at Natura, a company that uses sustainably sourced ingredients from the Amazon to develop vegan and cruelty-free bath & body, hair, and skincare products; IBM, where students explored how AI and cloud technology are shaping business; Azul Airlines, a transportation giant that is redefining training, accessibility, and customer experience; JBS, where students learned about tackling operational challenges and talent retention; and Bradesco, a company that is innovating at the intersection of finance and digital transformation. Students also had the chance to apply what they learned in the classroom to real-world consulting projects with consulting partners that included: Hacker Rangers, Lagos Data Intelligence, BeBold, and Hype Energy. In addition, they took time to dance the samba at Fábrica do Samba and explored São Paulo’s historic and modern neighborhoods.

Students led by Dennis Hanno, Ph.D., associate clinical professor, Leading People and Organizations; and Hanaa Fawzy, assistant dean of global initiatives and partnerships, explored Senegal. The core of this Global Immersion focused on them working with young Senegalese entrepreneurs to build and grow their startups. They also had the opportunity to meet with the mayor of the city of Rufisque, one of the major cities in Senegal; and with staff at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar. In addition, their travels took them to Parc des Technologies Numerique, a new technology park being built in the country.

—Paola Curcio-Kleinman

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