Inaugural Global Business and Leadership Forum Brings Global Employers and Industry Experts to Smith

Global business is an imperative, no matter what industry a student may be studying, Director of the Center for Global Business (CGB) Rebecca Bellinger told students during the opening of the Inaugural Careers Crossing Borders: Global Business and Leadership Forum.

“Your career will have an international dimension,” she said. “And that’s why today matters.”

The all-day event, sponsored by CGB and Smith’s Office of Career Services (OCS) on April 17, 2026, exposed students to senior leaders and global employers with keynote speakers, industry panels, networking opportunities and a global career fair.

During a keynote fireside chat, Dr. Ben Harris, Vice President and Director of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, spoke about the importance of being resilient as students pursue their careers, his thoughts on the global economy, AI and skills students should prioritize if they want to succeed in global business.

Harris said in general, students should be reliable and good colleagues. To find success in global business, “you have to have a strong sense of policy.”

It was a sentiment echoed by Dean Prabhudev Konana. He noted that over 80% of the world’s population lives outside of Western developed countries. Understanding changing policy, he said, is key to being a great leader, as is understanding the world beyond you.

During a lunchtime conversation, Dean’s Chaired Professor Lemma Senbet talked with Marc Uzan, Executive Director of the Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee. The topics centered around global economics and finance, as well as advice for the students in the audience.

“Go abroad. The world is big,” Uzan said and told students to be curious.

CGB and OCS also designated time for students to network with guests and take part in a career fair with companies that have a global reach.

“It’s not as scary as you think it is to talk and network with people,” said freshman OMBA major Aryana Mekerira. “All of these people have been in the same shoes as you, and they really want you to succeed.”

There were a series of panel discussions throughout the day, and freshman Management major Brielle Donnor said that the panel “Global Business, Nontraditional Paths: Public Service and Unconventional Industries” inspired her to look into study abroad programs after she learned about professionals who do a lot of travel related to their work.

“It’s a really good way to get out of your comfort zone, talk about yourself, but also kind of use it as a way to figure out your future,” said Giovanna Cirilli, a freshman OMBA and Information Systems double major.

The Careers Crossing Borders series is provided in part by CIBE, a Title VI grant administered by the U.S. Department of Education.