Do You Have a Global Mindset?

Do you have a global mindset? Undergraduate students at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business will be asked that question every time they enter the new globally branded Undergraduate Programs suite in 1570 Van Munching Hall. This semester, the Smith School highlights the many opportunities that undergraduate students have to develop a global mindset during their time in College Park.

“Whether it’s through semester exchange, an international internship, or one of our many globally-focused programs on-campus, Smith students have so many opportunities to develop a global mindset,” says Greg Rafal, program manager in the Office of Global Initiatives. “Employers are looking for this skill in recruits and we’re committed to giving our students the chance to get it.”

“With all of the colorful images, we want students to talk to their academic advisors about how to make a global program a possibility,” says Chris Olson, assistant director in the Office of Global Initiatives. “It often takes some planning, so it’s best to get thinking early.”

The bright signage showcases much of the global profile of the Smith School, including the fact that nearly 40 percent of Smith undergraduates study abroad, the highest rate among colleges at the University of Maryland. Other tidbits include employer attitudes toward international experiences (they want that from their staff) and the amount of scholarships the Smith School awards for study abroad ($150,000 per year).

The global display will be up through the fall semester, but global programming happens all year long. The next on-campus program hosted by the Office of Global Initiatives is a panel on Doing Business in Sub-Saharan Africa, which will take place on Tuesday, October 17. Panelists include representatives from the Embassy of Rwanda and the World Bank Group. Learn more and RSVP at go.umd.edu/AfricaDSS.

Interested in studying abroad? Visit rhsmith.umd.edu/global for more information, or stop by VMH 2410. Dec. 1, 2017, is the deadline to apply for a new embedded course for undergraduate students, which involves a full-semester course in College Park with a study abroad component in Brazil. Smith Goes Global in 2017-18!

This is sponsored in part by the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education.