Smith Undergrads Consult with World Bank

This past summer, students at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business were granted a unique opportunity to put their knowledge into practice at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C., as part of BMGT364: Managing People and Organizations. 

Teams of five to six students prepared case presentations using organizational behavior concepts learned in class to address implementation resistance to organizational changes. Smith PhD candidate and course instructor Elijah Wee developed the challenging scenario with Matthew Sale, a senior project manager at the World Bank, based on their extensive international experiences. 

Working closely with Wee and Sale, the students fulfilled the role of consultants tasked to provide evidence-based recommendations to successfully implement a new processes methodology across a large international organization. The students were required to present their proposal as part of a “consultancy bid” before an assessment panel made up of World Bank staff.  Students were fully engaged in the process of learning, and the teams took time on a Sunday afternoon to rehearse and refine their presentations. 

The key highlight of the engagement was the rare opportunity for the student teams to present in front of the panel and face a grueling questioning.  The panel was impressed with the quality of the presentation and also with the way the students addressed the questions. 

“We wanted to challenge the students in the application of their studies,” said Sale.  “There were no easy questions and if the initial answer was insufficient we kept following up until we were satisfied with the response.” 

Smith student Vy Do said, “The group project provided me with more information about myself in a professional environment that I will seek to continually improve upon in the future.” 

“Presenting to the team at World Bank was an incredible experience,” added Emi Joy. “I really appreciate the time they spent with us, providing feedback through each stage of development. I know I will be a better consultant in the future because of this project.” 

Sale summarized his view of the project: “We hope the students enjoyed the project and gained insights into the real-world issues and challenges that companies face.  The ability to understand and apply knowledge, work as a team, overcome those nerves and push your boundaries is what really makes a difference in the workplace and in life.”  

“This unique experience exemplifies the Smith School’s commitment to provide engaging industry experiences for the students,” said Wee. “We hope that this collaboration will open up more opportunities for learning and research.” 

Find out more about Smith’s top-ranked undergraduate program: www.rhsmith.umd.edu/undergrad.