Students in M.B.A. Cohort 15 will depart for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 24 to participate in their first international business experience in the program. The weeklong experience will allow the students to visit businesses in an emerging economy for a firsthand perspective of the global marketplace.

During their stay in Rio de Janeiro, students will meet with professionals at Central Bank of Brazil, where they will learn about the economic agenda of the bank and its impact on the overall development of the Brazilian economy. They’ll visit Visagio, a business consulting and information technology firm, BeesOffice co-working space for professionals, and Globo TV International, a Brazilian television network and the fourth largest commercial network in the world.

At Petrobras, a multinational energy company, students will discuss the role of multinational companies and sustainability. The cohort will also meet with professionals at Vale, the second largest mining company in the world with major businesses in logistics and power generation, to learn about the company’s global operations and investment in global corporate social responsibility.

Jamie Shuster, a Cohort 15 student, anticipates the group’s visit to Globo TV. “I am very interested to see how media and the news are presented to Brazilian viewers,” she says. “What types of stories are covered? Does the news report what occurs throughout other parts of the world? What type of attire is worn by broadcasters? What types of influential individuals are interviewed? Is there any subject matter than isn’t permitted?”

While in Brazil, the cohort will also have the opportunity to tour Rio de Janeiro, including Sugarloaf Mountain, and to participate in an open jeep tour and hike at Tijuca Rain Forest, the world’s largest urban forest.

“I am excited to experience Brazilian cuisine and music,” says M.B.A. student Robert Hinkle. “I expect Brazilians are as eager to share their culture with us as we are to experience it.”

Following their first experience abroad together, the students will reflect on what they learned about doing business in Brazil’s global marketplace in the program’s Global Business Blog.