Center for Global Business Selects Winter 2020 Undergraduate Communication Liasons

Kara Korab, program manager for the Center for Global Business at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, writes about the Smith School Study Abroad Ambassador program.

During the winter 2020 semester, 94 undergraduate students will participate in 5 BMGT short-term, faculty-led study abroad courses. Five highly-qualified Smith students will serve as communication liaisons for their respective courses, and share their experiences through media content. The communication liaison program is an opportunity to create a supportive community and culture of study abroad among Smith undergraduate students.

The Winter 2020 Communications Liaisons are:

Goodness Ihekweme

Major(s): Finance and Marketing

Course: BMGT448W Brexit: The Financial Effects on the EU and Beyond

Location: London, United Kingdom and Brussels, Belgium

Goodness Ihekweme is a junior at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. She was born and raised in Nigeria and is proficient in writing and speaking Igbo. Goodness has a passion for digital marketing and entrepreneurship, allowing her to create a unique social media image while increasing brand awareness and inclusion. Goodness is the Founder & CEO of GStyles-clothing company, where she provides inclusive and trendy apparel for women. She aspires to be an influential motivational speaker, serial entrepreneur, and fashion designer.

Vince Natividad

Major(s): Information Science

Minor: General Business

Course: BMGT469O Leading Innovation and Design in a Cross-Cultural Setting

Location: Madrid and Barcelona, Spain

Vince Natividad is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. Aside from academics, Vince is passionate about art and creativity. His main interests involve fashion, film, and music. He enjoys traveling but hardly goes out of the country. His second home is Manhattan, where he is lucky to stay with family and experience a different side of life that he can apply toward his growth. After college, Vince hopes to use his  creativity as an advantage in his career.

Jamila Spears

Major(s): Supply Chain Management and Information Systems

Course: BMGT478E Supply Chain Management

Location: Panama City, Panama and Lima, Peru

Jamila Spears is a senior at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Throughout her time at UMD, Jamila has served as a tutor for 6th – 8th graders, the President of the Black Business Association, and the current Financial Secretary for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Jamila also spent two summers in New York City interning with Bloomberg’s Supply Chain department. She is a Prince George’s County native and only child who enjoys reading, cooking and spending time with her family. Jamila is extremely excited to be the communication liaison for the Panama and Peru study abroad program and cannot wait to share her experiences with everyone!

Ayanna Wright

Major(s): Marketing and Honors English

Course: BMGT469K Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Contemporary South African Context

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Ayanna Wright is a senior at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. After graduating, she plans to pursue a career in advertising. Ayanna is from Bear, Delaware. As a freshman and sophomore, she participated in the College Park Scholars Public Leadership program. In the fall of her junior year, she joined the Strategic Design and Innovation Fellows Program at Maryland Smith. In the spring of her junior year, she began the Honors English Program. Ayanna is a spring 2019 initiate of the Kappa Phi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, spending time with her family and watching The Blacklist.

Fanny Wu

Major(s): Marketing

Course: BMGT428K The Impact of Globalization, Convergence, and Fintech on the Financial Accounting Profession

Location(s): Singapore and Taiwan

Fanny Wu is a junior at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. She was born and raised in Montgomery County, Maryland. She is also a member of the Accounting and Business Association. Fanny was a competitive swimmer for 15 years and is now a member and past captain of the University of Maryland club swim team. Outside of school, she has a strong passion for traveling, exploring the outdoors, baking healthy treats and weight lifting. She loves documenting her travels through her camera lens and writing blogs about her experiences. One day she hopes to visit every single country in the world.

Students are participating in one of five undergraduate faculty-led short-term courses traveling over the winter term. While abroad in January, students will visit companies across industries to enhance their global business acumen. Each course satisfies a business major requirement.

• BMGT469O, Leading Innovation and Design in a Cross-Cultural Setting, taught by Pamela Armstrong and Gerald Suarez
• BMGT428K, The Impact of Globalization, Convergence, and Fintech on the Financial Accounting Profession, taught by Eugene Cantor and Stephen Brown
• BMGT469K, Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Contemporary South African Context, taught by Victor Mullins and Jeanette Snider
• BMGT448W, Brexit: The Financial Effects on the EU and Beyond, taught by Susan White and Karen Hallows
• BMGT478E, Supply Chain Management Study Abroad: Peru and Panama, taught by Humberto Coronado and Greg Rafal

Smith students applying for winter faculty-led short-term courses were given the opportunity to apply for the leadership position of communication liaison. Communication liaison is a position designed for students to emerge as leaders by telling their study abroad story. The Smith School's short-term programs provide students with the opportunity to apply a comparative international lens to their business education and professional career. Participating in a faculty-led short-term course is one of the many ways students can develop their global mindset.

“Communication liaisons are leaders among Smith study abroad students.” said Greg Rafal, assistant director at the CGB, “by sharing their study abroad experience, liaisons bring to light the value of a global mindset to a student's college experience and career. The role also allows students to hone in on their writing, photography, and marketing skills.”

Learn more about the Center for Global Business programs and initiatives.