By Caroline Kent
Our NIU Executive MBA students, class of 2026, embarked on their international immersion trip through Casablanca and Rabat, Morocco, and Barcelona, Spain — a journey that blended global business insight, cultural discovery, and personal growth.
Morocco Showcases Global Business in Action
The experience began in Casablanca where students were immediately struck by the city’s balance of modern energy and deep tradition. Visits to landmarks like the Hassan II Mosque offered a powerful reminder of Morocco’s artistry and spirituality.
“Visiting the Hassan II Mosque was peaceful and grounding,” shared EMBA student Janine Newman-Ezimoha, who works as the workers’ compensation claims team lead at Sedgwick. “The beauty, the detail and the calm you feel standing there stay with you. It reminded me how connection and purpose show up in every culture in their own way.”
The group’s day trip to the capital city of Rabat added another layer of understanding, weaving together Morocco’s royal legacy and its evolving identity.
For Jessica Graff, who is founder and principal consultant of 14 Management LLC, immersion in Morocco’s markets and meals provided lessons that transcended business.
“Market negotiations taught me the power of collective bargaining — better deals come when buying as a unified group,” she reflected. “Moroccan culture shapes business fundamentally: Meals are communal and unhurried; markets prioritize conversation over transactions and relationships come before deals.”
“We saw that famous quote from the classic film Casablanca come alive — ‘Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,’” added Graff. “Friendship isn’t just sentiment here, it’s a core cultural value, and I’m witnessing it within our cohort bonding too.”
In Skhirat, the cohort visited Fruit of the Loom’s Morocco operations, gaining firsthand insight into international manufacturing and supply chain management.
“From quality control systems to strategy, seeing global manufacturing excellence firsthand is transforming how we all think about leading our organizations,” said EMBA student Jodie Braskich, who works as COO of D2K Traffic Safety Inc. “True industry leaders help drive excellence across the globe with transparency. The Fruit of the Loom management team was not afraid of the hard questions and were happy to show us how the work gets done.”
At Procter & Gamble, students explored how global corporations nurture leadership.
“P&G invests deeply in its people — helping them grow into roles where they can make the greatest impact,” explained EMBA student Victor Morales Marroquín, who is assistant manager at The Suter Company Inc. “Their 70/20/10 model of learning reinforces that leadership development is an ongoing, experience-driven process.”
The visit to Maghreb Steel rounded out the Moroccan business experience, tying together themes of industrial innovation and sustainability. The company is building a hydrogen-powered green steel plant, expanding low-emission Electric Arc Furnaces, and enhancing digital energy and waste management.
Spain Highlights Innovation and Inspires Reflection
After a travel day from Casablanca to Barcelona, students transitioned from North African markets to European innovation. At this point in the trip, many students began to forge genuine friendships with their classmates, as shared experiences can deepen relationships in a way the classroom alone cannot.
The group’s European itinerary included a session with NIU MBA alumnus Chandru Shankar, who has built a career that spans continents and industries.
Shankar began his career in manufacturing engineering, moved to Microsoft and now leads his own firm out of Barcelona. Students were inspired by his talk, as he shared his drive to “do things the right way, build on proven practice and keep learning.”
Students also met with leaders at ACCIÓ Catalonia Trade & Investment, gaining a firsthand look at how the region fosters entrepreneurship and sustainability. At the Port of Barcelona, the cohort explored one of Europe’s busiest logistics hubs.
“I learned how complex and interconnected a major port’s operations are — from cargo handling and ship fueling to tourism and infrastructure,” said EMBA student Douglas Smothers, an ES tax auditor for the state of Illinois.
“They have a mission to reduce their current emissions footprint by 55% by 2030 and reach zero emissions by 2050,” said student Bryan Jones, who works as VP of product management for Synchrony.
A final visit to Familia Torres Winery, a family-run business known for its environmental stewardship, brought the week full circle — linking leadership, sustainability and legacy. Joan Phillips-Hernandez, the dean of NIU’s College of Business, accompanied the 2026 EMBA class on the trip and was struck by the caliber of students in our program.
“We are so proud to draw the brightest minds and strongest leaders to our Executive MBA program,” she said. “It was such a pleasure and an honor to be able to travel to Morocco and Spain with this group of people. I know they gained business insights, as well as a network of friends and professional contacts, which will remain with them for their careers.”
Professor Eric Michel also accompanied the students on the trip which is the focal point of the international management course in the EMBA curriculum.
“This trip gave NIU’s Executive MBA students invaluable insight into how business and culture intersect across borders,” Michel said. “The immersion experience underscored that effective global leadership begins with curiosity, learning and human connection — values this cohort of students embodied throughout their travels. On the trip, students were able to put their classroom knowledge into practice as they strive to become culturally competent global leaders.”
For more information about our Executive MBA program and our international immersion trip experience, visit go.niu.edu/EMBA.
