Empowering Global Growth: A Look Back at CGB’s 2024 Summer Initiatives

The Center for Global Business (CGB) continues to be a driving force in providing experiential learning opportunities for students while also supporting businesses in their efforts to go global. This past summer, CGB ran four programs that offered students invaluable experience in international business: the Maximizing Maryland Internship, the Maryland Global Consulting, the Global Summer Internship and the Summer Language Institute Scholarship Programs.

Summer Language Institute Scholarship

The Summer Language Institute Scholarship enables a business student to learn a critical language (Arabic, Persian, or Korean) that will provide them a competitive advantage in the global job market. This summer, Namra Shaikh took advantage of this scholarship to study Arabic intensively for 15 weeks at the University of Maryland School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Summer Language Institute. The $5,000 scholarship allowed Namra to develop a deeper understanding of the Arabic language and culture, which will play a pivotal role in her future career aspirations in Foreign Affairs.

The program’s structured environment, which included daily language practice, cultural activities, and collaborative learning, provided students with a comprehensive language education that will benefit their future professional endeavors. The cultural immersion extended to weekend activities as well, which included listening exercises, writing tasks, and skits that allowed Namra to further hone her skills. As Namra prepares for a career in Foreign Affairs, this experience has proven to be instrumental in her goal of becoming a Diplomatic Technology Officer, and provided her with the skills and confidence to contribute to international relations in a meaningful way.

Maximizing Maryland Internship Program

Through the Maximizing Maryland Internship Program, CGB partnered with five diverse companies—United Source One, Inc., DGrid Energy, Merchant Services United, Fluron, and E-Livestock Global—to offer 10 students hands-on experience in digital marketing, supply chain management, operations, and logistics. These companies, spanning various industries, posed different challenges for the students to address, from improving digital marketing strategies to optimizing operational workflows and supply chains.

The program's aim was to give these businesses solutions for expanding their global reach while providing students with valuable real-world experience. Each company presented unique business problems that needed innovative solutions, such as refining export operations or enhancing website functionality for international markets. Guided by Clinical Professor of Marketing Mary Beth Furst, the student interns delivered insights and strategies that could be immediately implemented.

Maryland Global Consulting Program

The Maryland Global Consulting Program provided students the chance to address real-world business challenges by working with two clients: the University of Maryland Smith School of Business and Parea Retreats. Over the summer, two teams of five students worked with one of the two organizations, delivering strategic recommendations to support their business goals and expansion efforts.

The student team working with Parea Retreats aimed to enhance the brand recognition of its wellness retreats in Greece and develop a compelling value proposition. The team conducted a nationwide survey, performed a competitive analysis using SEO strategies, and held informational interviews to gain operational insights. Based on their research, the students recommended targeted surveys to better understand customer preferences, flexible payment plans through partnerships with financial institutions, and the introduction of all-inclusive pricing models.

Founder of Parea Retreats Catherine Zaranis spoke to the value of the strategies the students offered, “Working with the Smith School Global Consulting team on market entry strategies was an insightful experience. I always looked forward to meeting the group, as their data-driven approach helped us pinpoint specific market needs.” Additionally, they suggested expanding retreat locations, investing in childcare and health services, and establishing partnerships with local vendors to improve the overall retreat experience.

The University of Maryland Smith School of Business consulting project focused on assessing and developing a strategy to expand the school’s presence into Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. The team’s research centered on aligning educational offerings with the region’s national development goals, including Saudi Vision 2030, Qatar National Vision 2030, and UAE Vision 2021. They identified strong demand for specialized programs such as Business Analytics and Supply Chain Management, while also noting the region’s preference for globally recognized institutions. The students recommended creating partnerships with local universities and industry leaders, focusing on executive education programs, and developing a high-level market entry strategy.

Global Summer Internship

Fifteen participants partook in the Center’s Global Summer Internship Program, designed to give students first-hand experience working in a global business environment, and receive 6 academic credits while abroad. Students interned at companies such as Bata, Morningstar, Intrepid Spirits, and J&C Advertising among others. The destinations this summer included Australia, the Czech Republic, Ireland and Singapore. The diversity of industries and locations provided students with a well-rounded experience, allowing them to enhance their professional skills while navigating different cultural settings.

“While most young professionals do not get the chance to work abroad within the first few rotations of their career journeys, the students in this internship program got to do just that. With these internships as a backdrop, they applied their classroom knowledge in industry positions around the globe,” said Rebecca Bellinger, executive director of CGB and instructor for the program. “It was incredibly rewarding to watch these students learn and adapt and overcome challenges over the course of the summer. It’s global experiential learning at its best.”

Students interested in these opportunities and more for the academic year 2024-25 can meet the Center for Global Business at Centergize on Wednesday, September 18, and upcoming career fairs on Friday, September 20 and Friday, September 27 or check out the programs on our undergraduate and graduate programming pages. Companies interested in these opportunities can visit the website or contact smithglobal@umd.edu.