School Notes: School of Management
July/August 2026

Traveling the globe

Over spring break, SOM students had many ways to complete their global studies requirement. Some traveled abroad via International Experience, which sends students to immerse themselves in economic hubs around the world; others participated in weeklong exchange programs with partner business schools through Global Network Week. Kaan Ardic ’26MBA guided classmates on a tour of Costa Rica’s biodiversity-based economy, coming home with a “sharpened lens on global strategy.” Ioanna Rellou ’26MMS spent a week in Mexico City learning about humanistic management, hearing from local entrepreneurs, and exploring the city’s museums. “There is so much world still to discover,” she reflected on the school’s blog.

Supporting impact-oriented internships

SOMers gathered onstage and around banquet tables to support the Internship Fund, a student-run group that raises money to support those pursuing nonprofit or public-sector summer internships. The first of its kind among peer institutions, the Internship Fund hosted two beloved annual fundraisers in April. During Auction Night, students bid on custom pet portraits, meals with faculty members, and vacation destinations. At Star Search, students performed original songs, adapted numbers from Wicked, and juggled for their peers. “Seeing people share something that’s a core part of their identity creates a true sense of human connection,” said J. B. Horsley ’26MBA at the event.

Convening leaders in economic development

Students, alumni, and practitioners gathered at Evans Hall this spring for the annual Economic Development Symposium, exploring a subject in which SOM has deep roots. In the 1980s, Andrea Levere ’83MPPM helped create a dedicated economic development course; Katherine Gross ’83MPPM later established a fund to expand students’ access to the field. This year, panels focused on municipal finance, economic revitalization, and quantum technologies; the symposium also debuted student “lightning talks” that proposed development ideas for regions around the world. “It offers a valuable opportunity to understand how initiatives at Yale, within New Haven, and across the state intersect,” said conference leader Avrey Callis ’26MBA.