Support from The University of Baltimore Foundation
POSITION UBALT AS THE REGION’S PREMIER
PROFESSIONAL, CAREER-FOCUSED UNIVERSITY.

In May 2022, Dr. Sharon Glazer, M.S. ’95, led a group of Industrial and Organizational Psychology master’s students to Spain. There, they built upon work they had begun virtually earlier that year with their counterparts at the University of Barcelona, under the guidance of Dr. Regina Berger, Glazer’s longtime collaborator. Together, the students worked on a case study of Airbnb’s multinational operations to diagnose organizational processes and structures that support and impede organizational effectiveness.

This kind of fieldwork emphasizes the need for students to develop cross-cultural competencies to succeed in a global economy. “Our businesses are multinational, international or global—whether we buy products, hire vendors or collaborate with others overseas; our students need to understand that landscape,” said Glazer. According to her, a great way for students to do that, is to “participate in study abroad, where they develop a stronger understanding of other environments and contexts, and how they play a role in workplace experiences around the world.”

Until the time Glazer and her class got to explore Barcelona, Girona and Besalu, University travel for the global field studies program had been paused for over two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That [Spain] was the trip that signaled it was time to begin traveling again,” explained Eleftherios Michael. As the director of UBalt’s Diversity and International Services, he helps analyze risk management for the experiences. By the start of the 2022-2023 academic year, he had given the green light that allowed roughly 100 students to travel with 10 programs— double the number of international trips from previous years.

UBalt was globetrotting once again. Groups from the School of Law headed off to Puerto Rico and Scotland. The Merrick School of Business led three excursions—trips to England, Thailand and Switzerland. And Glazer brought another Psychology cohort to Israel, while her colleague, Dr. Sally Farley, accompanied one to Belize.

Networking and professional development are other key aspects to global field studies. The Latin American Law Student Association organized an “alternative spring break” trip to Puerto Rico. While there, the group met with governor’s chief of staff and a federal magistrate judge, as well as made visits to the Court of Appeals and House of Representatives to learn about the legal system. They also engaged in several community service projects, which allowed them to better understand the socio-political climate in Puerto Rico, and helped lay the groundwork for future professional opportunities, such as internships and proposal writing for government agencies.

While global field studies are one of the University’s hallmark experiential learning programs, they do differ from the traditional study abroad model—most notably because they only last about 10 days, rather than a semester or year.

For the average UBalt student, the considerations of time and, subsequently, cost make all the difference.

“This is really giving people that are older or people that have a full-time job or a family an opportunity that they would never have anywhere else,” said Jessica Marin, a Business Administration student who was able to go to Thailand over spring break in 2023.

Another important distinction UBalt field experiences have is that donor support, from programs like the Helen P. Denit Honors Program and the Wright Global Business Scholarship, helps to defray the total cost so more students, regardless of their background, can participate, Michael said.

Vernon Wright, B.S. ’69, and his wife Lucy have been sponsoring global field studies for over 20 years. He said, “Growing up, I was fortunate to live abroad, travel and be exposed to cultural differences—and similarities. Being able to see things from a different view definitely helped my career. I hope this experience does the same for these students.”

Read more about our students’ experiences abroad in the latest issue of The University of Baltimore Magazine.

LEGACIES AT WORK: MEMORIAL FUNDS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE

The Fulton G. and Heinricha E. Boyer College of Public Affairs Leadership Scholarship provides endowed support to graduate students in the Health Administration and Human Services Administration master’s programs at the College of Public Affairs. The fund is used to help defray the cost of tuition, books, technology and other educational expenses during the course of their studies.

I chose The University of Baltimore for its outstanding reputation in the field of Applied Information Technology and Cybersecurity. Since attending UBalt, I have been impressed by how the University has established terrific systems to assist students in developing the required skills to reach their potential within their chosen fields. This institution offers quality education alongside other crucial personal development, such as leadership skills. These experiences have prepared me effectively for success in both my professional and personal life. I would like to express my great appreciation for your generosity to The University of Baltimore and for helping students like me succeed in the fields we love!”

– IBRAHEEM SULE, B.A. ’23
BOB PARSONS SCHOLAR