Undergraduate Programming

“…one that combines an openness to and awareness of diversity across countries and markets with a propensity and ability to see common patterns across countries and markets.” – Financial Times

Different authorities may take different approaches to define a global mindset. The important thing to remember is that people with a global mindset can understand differences among cultures and business practices and welcome the opportunity to learn about similarities.

CGB defines ‘Global Mindset’ by seven competencies or attributes that those with a global mindset exhibit. Contact CGB for more information on how to develop a global mindset.

Seven Competencies of the Global Mindset

1. Tolerance of Ambiguity — Ability to navigate unclear or uncertain situations without feeling stress or anxiety. Comfort with vague instructions or information.
2. Global Business Savvy — Knowledge of business environments and growth drivers (institutional, geographic, cultural, and economic) that operate in and between countries.
3. Passion for Diversity — Willingness to seek out and consider diverse viewpoints, appreciate the values and beliefs of others, and collaborate on diverse teams.
4. Cultural Curiosity — Interest in learning about cultures and world events, and taking the initiative to seek out more information about local contexts.
5. Adaptability — Ability to overcome challenges and be resourceful when faced with difficult situations.
6. Self-awareness and Humility — Confidence in oneself without overestimating one's abilities while valuing the experience and backgrounds of others.
7. Relationship Building — Eagerness to interact with new people and develop a strong network built on communication, empathy, and mutual respect.

The International Business (IB) Agility Labs are short-term virtual case challenges that allow undergraduate students to learn from global business leaders and collaborate with international peers. Students will benefit from exposure to an international company, work on teams with business students around the world, and gain hands-on case experience to build their resumes and CVs. Through these labs, students gain multiple global perspectives in a fast-paced, intensive, and hands-on competition while working on a real global business issue.

Learn more about IB Agility Labs

Marketing Maryland is an internship program where students gain professional experience with a Maryland company. Students are matched with a small to midsize enterprise internationalizing their business and seeking Maryland Smith talent to help them do so.

Apply now

Application deadline: Deadline extended to April 3

Program dates: June 6 – August 12, 2022

Eligibility: Open to all business majors, though geared towards marketing majors.

Faculty champion: Mary Beth Furst, Associate Clinical Professor, Marketing

The internship program is paid through a stipend and students work on assigned teams. More information on the company is provided during the application and matching process. Students work on projects focused on eCommerce and digital marketing strategy during this 2+ month, part-time summer internship. Potential projects include:

• Website optimization for international eCommerce
• Website tracking and analytics
• Search engine optimization
• Website localization (creating or enhancing a website for a specific country)
• Global social media strategy and analysis

This internship is not for academic credit. Students interested in receiving credit for summer internships may be eligible to register for one of several courses offered through the Smith School.

Questions? Contact Marina Augoustidis, maugoust@umd.edu.

Leveraging Your Global Mindset is an online module geared to help students translate their global experience into their career and is sponsored by the Office of Career Services and the Center for Global Business. By watching this module, students reflect on their global experience, analyze specific skills that they developed or enhanced through their global experience, and develop techniques to translate their global experience in an interview and on their resume.

Embassy Day is a Maryland Smith students’ first introduction to a global mindset and the launching point for their self-guided discovery of the competencies that make up a global mindset. Embassy Day is a two-part event of Smith Start, a year-long orientation program for first-year business students.

Part 1: Global Competencies for the 21st Century Workplace

November 16, 2021

Event highlights & video

Join the Center for Global Business during International Education Week for a discussion with four Maryland Smith alumni about the importance of a global mindset in today's business environment by drawing on their experiences in workforce development and diversity and inclusion.

Part 2: Embassy Visits

February 17-18, 2022

Students will be contacted directly with registration instructions.

Embassy Day is an opportunity to learn about culture, business, and society at an embassy. Embassy visits will take place either in-person in Washington D.C. or virtually.

Embassy Day is hosted in collaboration with the Undergraduate Programs Office.

Pursue a career in international business and participate in the International Business Trek in Maryland!

Interested students can register for any or all visits. Registering for one visit does not require a student to register for the entire program.

Recent Events

Read event highlights: FlyWheel Digital Hosts Virtual Site Visit with Maryland Smith Students

Virtual Visit to the Maryland Port Administration

Donovan Murray
General Manager, Intermodal/Trade Development
Learn more about the port and its work | Event Highlights

The International Business Trek in Baltimore is supported in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

Attend the information session to hear more about the program and from the CGBP professional who will be facilitating the program.

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Passcode: U^b+Ax$2
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The Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), managed by NASBITE International, is a nationally recognized certification sought by employers around the country. It confirms applied knowledge in international trade and export management and shows potential employers that the holder brings the level of global expertise and professionalism that is required in today’s competitive environment.

The center offers the CGBP Student Pathways Cohort Program, a structured program intended to prepare a cohort of students for the CGBP exam and introduce them to and engage them with NASBITE International.

The program is comprised of a mix of four synchronous sessions and asynchronous study to prepare students to take the CGBP exam. The program offers facilitation by a CGBP professional, access to take the CGBP exam, networking and relationship-building opportunities, and NASBITE International Membership (a $75 value) which includes:

• CGBP study guide
• Preparation support
• Expert Helpline
• LinkedIn Student Group
• CGBP Practice Exam
• Other networking opportunities

Register

Registrations are being accepted until Friday, February 25, 2022.

Enrollment, requirements, and preliminary fees

• All interested students are eligible to register.
• The registration deadline for this cohort has been extended and registrations are being accepted until Friday, February 25 2022.
• Students enrolled in the program will have the option to take the CGBP exam at any point during their program at Smith or up to four months after graduation.
• Students will have to enroll themselves to take the exam and pay upfront.
• Students will be obligated to submit their results to CGB to verify their passing of the CGBP exam.
• If a student passes, CGB will reimburse them the exam fee of $195.00.
• If a student does not pass the exam the first take, the student will not be reimbursed the fee of the exam.
• If a student does not follow through with exam commitment, the student will not be reimbursed the fee of the exam.

Structure

• Facilitated program through CGB will be held synchronously and asynchronous over a three-month period before a student is able to sit for the exam.
• Synchronously: Students will meet with a CGBP professional once every three weeks for two hours. Confirmed schedule will be based on availability of professional and students. If not, CGB will set this schedule.
• Asynchronously: Students will be assigned readings and other assignments correlated to each of the four domains of the CGBP exam in between synchronous meetings.
• Final content provided and how each session is devised is ultimately up to the CGBP professional.

Suggested calendar/content:

The Positive Impact Internship is a way to learn from companies in Brazil that strive to make a positive impact on the world. Students are placed on multicultural teams to work on a real business problem focused on social impact. The Center for Global Business is providing a full scholarship to UMD students who identify as underrepresented students.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY NOW

Read about the fall 2021 Positive Impact Internship.

Program Highlights

• WORK ON MULTICULTURAL TEAMS: Teams will consist of 5-7 students from around the world, including Brazil.
• INTERACTIVE APPLIED PROJECT: During the program, students will work directly with company representatives to provide actionable solutions to real business problems.
• STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING: Meetings with the companies and with the faculty champion encourage students to share knowledge and experiences to reach optimal solutions.

The Center for Global Business is providing a full scholarship to four UMD students who identify as underrepresented students.

Questions? Contact the Center for Global Business at smithglobal@umd.edu.

Stay tuned for more information about the HUMLOG Challenge with the Global Business School Network in Fall 2022. Please see information below about the Fall 2021 HUMLOG Challenge.

The HUMLOG Challenge Fall 2021

The Global Business School Network Learners Track features a virtual team competition designed to engage students from across the globe who have an interest in humanitarian logistics and a desire to serve their community. The Covid-19 pandemic has tested communities across the world on preparedness and resilience. In the context of accelerated climate change and population growth, the current trend of frequent major disasters is expected to increase. Called The HUMLOG Challenge, the student competition will focus on Community Disaster Resilience. Teams will be challenged to identify a locally relevant natural disaster and develop a solutions packet that will address the community’s preparedness, response and level of resilience.

Learners Track

Taking you BEYOND the credential, the Learners Track is designed for graduate and undergraduate students who are committed to reskill, innovate, upskill, collaborate and are interested in making an impact in their community. Through the month of October, learners can engage in a variety of virtual experiences that facilitate collaboration, development and learning.

Questions? Contact smithglobal@umd.edu.

The Smith Global Consulting Fellows program is designed for students who have an interest in the world’s people and cultures and a desire to apply business and language skills to enhancing economic development worldwide and helping others succeed.

Students in Global Consulting Fellows study intercultural issues in global management and learn skills in group research and consulting through two courses: Cross-cultural Challenges in Business, and Practicum in Global Consulting. Students work in teams to conduct research and develop feasible business ideas that contribute to business, social and economic development, especially in emerging economies.

While English is a universal business language, acquiring and mastering a foreign language can often give professionals a competitive advantage when doing business abroad. Language competency can often be the gateway to understanding cultural and societal norms that a business person would otherwise not know. For these reasons, CGB partners with the University of Maryland School of Language, Literature, and Culture (SLLC) to encourage Smith School undergraduates to enroll in language programs.

SLLC offers an array of programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish as well as programs that bring together language and business.

If you are an undergraduate interested in learning more, please see the SLLC website or email CGB at smithglobal@umd.edu.