Smith MBAs Making a Difference in Latin America
Students at the Robert H. Smith School of Business have left their mark on projects across the globe in study aboard consultation programs. But of all of the places Smith MBAs have traveled to, their impact has been felt the most in Latin America. Since 2009, more than 300 students have consulted for Smith projects throughout the region.
Professor Paulo Prochno has led 240 MBA students to Brazil since he starting up his annual “Doing Business in Brazil” course in 2009. Students consult for small, Rio de Janeiro-based start-up companies and their expertise has impressed the Brazilian beneficiaries.
“It was beyond what I expected,” says Sheila Souza, CEO of Brazilidad. “The students were very professional, and their report will help me a lot in decision making. Working with the University of Maryland was a very positive experience. For me, it made a huge difference.”
Four smith MBAs are currently among a group of seven students who are advising a Brazilian NGO that promotes gender equality. They have been consulting in Latin America through a Center for Social Value Creation program that matches student consultants with international nonprofits.
In 2012, three graduate students consulted for the Institute for Self-Reliant Agriculture (ISRA), an NGO focused on sustainable agriculture in Ecuador and Peru. There, they developed fundraising and marketing strategies to support the organization’s five-year expansion plan.
“I volunteered for the ISRA project because it was a unique opportunity to sharpen my leadership, project management and consulting skills,” says Amadou Cisse, EMBA ‘13. “It was inspirational to visit families at the deep end of poverty striving to provide a better future to their children. I came back with a different purpose, and since then my leadership has reached new heights.”
