From Oslo to Rio: MBA students go abroad for international consulting experience
MBA students travelled to Norway and Brazil to immerse themselves in new cultural and business environments.
How far would you pursue your career aspirations? For students in the University of Florida Warrington College of Business’s MBA program, the answer is quite far, indeed – all the way to Norway and Brazil.
MBA students present their consulting strategy to Freyr Battery.
Consulting in Oslo
Jessica Brinkert (MBA ’25) travelled with a cohort of MBA students to Norway this semester for a Global Immersion Experience (GIE) in international business. As her first trip abroad, Brinkert found the experience particularly thrilling; leading up to the trip, she made time outside of her work as executive director of Successful Aging, a life plan community in Naples, Florida, to throw herself into preparing her team’s consulting project for Freyr Battery, a company they would visit in Oslo.
“Our team was tasked with providing strategic recommendations for Freyr Battery, focusing on identifying target markets that would most value their sustainable battery technology,” Brinkert said. “This involved analyzing countries and customer profiles while considering factors such as the competitive landscape, regulatory challenges and the influence of global politics, including the current U.S. election. We also explored pricing sensitivity and how Freyr can position itself as a premium, sustainable brand rather than competing solely on cost.”
To prepare their consulting presentation, Brinkert and her classmates researched Freyr Battery’s current technology and company goals and compared those to their competitors. From their findings, they were able to construct recommendations that would specifically address Freyr’s needs.
“While there was some initial nervousness, our preparation and teamwork gave us confidence,” Brinkert said. “The company representatives were engaged and provided constructive feedback, making it a highly collaborative experience. Overall, our presentation went exceptionally well.”
Beyond of the conference room, Brinkert and her cohort rounded out their cultural experience by visiting many museums and participating in a traditional Scandinavian cold plunge.
“Immersing myself in Norwegian culture, stepping out of my comfort zone – like participating in a cold plunge – and building lasting friendships with my peers all contributed to my growth,” Brinkert summarized. “This experience reinforced my passion for lifelong learning, cultural exploration and collaboration. Overall, it was a milestone that enriched both my professional toolkit and my personal worldview, leaving me with skills, memories and relationships that I will carry forward for years to come.”
Market strategies in Brazil
In a different corner of the globe, Monica Earle (MBA ’25) met up with other MBA students for a Global Immersion Experience in Rio de Janerio and Sao Paulo, Brazil. As the senior public relations manager at Duolingo, a language learning app and company, Earle had a special interest in learning Portuguese before the trip and finding practical applications for her business experience in the country.
“Because I work with a Brazilian marketing team, I was hoping to get a better understanding of pop culture in the region and the kinds of entertainment Brazilians consume,” Earle explained. “I expected to learn about the economics and [financial climate] of the country, given the nature of the MBA program.”
Enrollment in the Two-Year Online MBA program meant that Brazil was where Earle met many MBA students for the first time. Together, she and students from the Weekend, Executive and One-Year MBA programs collaborated to present a consulting project to Barn Investementos, a sustainability-focused investment firm. Through their research, both at home and abroad, they were able to identify startup organizations in which the company could invest.
“After visiting with many of the businesses and learning more about the challenges the Brazilian market faces, we adjusted our presentation to refer back to new information we had learned while in-country,” she described. “This made our final presentation resonate well with the leaders from Barn.”
MBA students with Christ the Redeemer.
Earle and her fellow students familiarized themselves with Brazilian culture by interacting with other businesses and touring area. Their explorations led them up 2,000 feet of elevation to the peak of Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Her favorite adventure, Earle said, was a visit to the Mercado Municipal Paulistano, where she ate the same famous mortadella sandwich that Anthony Bourdain experienced in his travel show. Although she couldn’t bring home the sandwich, Earle is carrying a plan of action for her current and future professional goals.
“This trip helped crystallize what a huge opportunity my company, Duolingo, has to provide English language education in Brazil, since a small percentage of the country speaks English and the public education system is not strong,” Earle said. “This trip also affirmed my interest in pursuing a global role in the next phase of my career. I’m motivated [by] the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives around the world.”
