First-ever Global Business Immersion offers online students a broader perspective
This past spring, the Raymond A. Mason School of Business launched its first Global Business Immersion (GBI) experience tailored for online students, offering a hands-on opportunity to study global markets through the lens of cultural and commercial intersections in Italy and Greece.
Held from April 25 through May 4, the immersion experience was led by Professor Jim Olver and organized in collaboration with Neina Osibogun, interim associate dean of online programs and director of student experience and affairs. The course theme—Developing New Trends and New Technologies within a Traditional, Established Global Brand Identity—focused on how legacy industries in food, tourism, automotive, economic development, commercial port operations, and startups are adapting to modern business demands.
Online MBA (OMBA) and Online MSBA (OMSBA) students visited global organizations including IFAD, Renault Group, ENIT, and Port of Piraeus, and start-up accelerator egg and olive oil producer, Oleosophia. These site visits provided exposure to international business strategies across sectors like agriculture, logistics, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. In addition to corporate briefings, students explored cultural landmarks and local cuisine to better understand how heritage influences economic development.
“I am delighted that our online students had the opportunity to participate in a global immersion,” said Osibogun. “Transformative experiences like this broaden horizons, enhance cultural competence, and develop essential leadership and business skills. But more importantly for online learners, this was a rare chance to shift from remote learning into a truly embodied, collaborative, and international context. Moving from a virtual classroom to working side by side in a new cultural environment makes this experience especially meaningful. It deepens connection, encourages adaptability, and shows how a digital community can thrive in a real-world setting.”
Through multimedia assignments and reflective coursework, students integrated their on-the-ground
experiences into the online classroom. For many, the trip offered more than professional development. It also strengthened their connection to the William & Mary community.
“This experience was beyond the degree; it transcended global barriers (or the global space), forming creative, agile, and innovative leaders,” said Christina Ayala Rodriguez, an OMBA student.
OMBA student Lindsey Boyer echoed the impact of the experience. “The international trip to Italy and Greece transformed my online MBA experience into something extraordinary. The opportunity to network with successful women entrepreneurs within Italy and Greece’s historical and cultural landscape offered crucial knowledge and support, which has deeply enhanced my educational journey and professional goal.”
Students appreciated the opportunity to move beyond traditional academic frameworks and explore business through cultural immersion and personal interaction.
“Impact in business requires more than a transactional sensibility. The global immersion offered us the opportunity to explore cultural dynamics that surpassed textbook learning,” said OMSBA student Reshma Mirchandani. “We could ask questions, make connections, and truly immerse ourselves in a global diaspora that extends beyond the classroom. This experience expanded my business outlook and equipped me for our modern global business landscape.”
Karen Barrett, another OMBA student, emphasized the diversity of content the trip provided. “Our global immersion trip was an amazing opportunity that gave me exposure to different industries and their operations on a global level.”
The inaugural GBI is just another example of the Mason School’s deep and ongoing commitment to global education across all of its programs. For years, the school has prioritized global competency in its undergraduate and residential graduate programs, with international immersion experiences serving as a cornerstone of its leadership development model. Extending this priority to online students is a natural progression, reinforcing the school’s belief that cultivating a global mindset is essential to preparing principled leaders for today’s interconnected world.
It also aligns with William & Mary’s nationally recognized strength in study abroad participation. Ranked among the top public universities in the country for the percentage of students who study abroad, William & Mary has long emphasized the value of international learning. This new online GBI program adds to that reputation by making immersive global experiences more accessible to non-residential learners.
As the school continues to grow its global portfolio, immersive opportunities like the GBI will remain integral to its mission: delivering a well-rounded, well-informed business education that meets students where they are, whether in Williamsburg or around the world.