For the first time since 2020, Ohio State students studied abroad in Brazil. The Fisher College of Business Honors Cohort education abroad program provided Ohio State students an opportunity to work with Brazilian students on a case for a company, understand the opportunity and challenges associated with a major emerging market and become immersed in Brazilian culture.
The group of 33 undergraduate students and three faculty and staff members toured São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro with support from Campus B, an organization specializing in international education. Students assisted with a consulting project for Movida, a car rental company. Fisher College of Business alumnus Jaret Waters BA ’21, BSBA ‘21, who currently works in Brazil for Campus B, led the collaboration.
The Brazil Gateway helped the group schedule a company visit to Uello where alumnus Gustavo Ribeiro MBA ‘19, serves as chief operating officer. The Gateway also organized a dinner meeting with faculty members from the University of São Paulo, Fisher College of Business’ academic partner in Brazil. In Rio de Janeiro, the Brazil Gateway was supported by Fisher College of Business alumni Karina Ribeiro ‘20 and Roberto Abramson ‘77 and former visiting scholar Weber Pimenta ‘05 to schedule visits for students at Petrobras, FIRJAN and Visagio Consulting. The group also had dinner with alumni in Rio de Janeiro.
The program included cultural activities such as walks through Avenida Paulista and Parque Ibirapuera and visits to the Municipal Market and the Vila Madalena and Liberdade neighborhoods. In Rio de Janeiro, students toured well-known destinations, such as the Museum of Tomorrow, Sugar Loaf, Christ the Redeemer and Copacabana beach.
“The Brazil Gateway was instrumental in helping curate our experience to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The relationships that they have cultivated with strategic partners help bring our trip to life and words do not express my gratitude for all their help,” said Ty Shepfer, senior lecturer, director of the Honors Cohort Program, academic director of the Master of Human Resource Management Program.