University Outreach Program

University Outreach Program: Connecting Students to Global Mobility

This dynamic collaboration between MARC and the University of Georgia’s International Business Society connects university students with the global mobility industry through a two-part experiential learning model:

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

1. Panel Discussions with Industry Professionals
Students engage in interactive panel discussions featuring experienced global mobility leaders. These sessions offer insights into career opportunities within the field and explore how global mobility enables companies to thrive in a globalized economy. The discussions provide students with a clearer understanding of the industry's strategic importance and evolving landscape.

2. Industry Solutions Competition with Mentorship and Scholarships
Students are paired with global mobility professionals who serve as mentors throughout an industry solutions competition. Together, they address real-world challenges facing global mobility programs, developing innovative solutions and presenting their findings. In addition to gaining valuable experience and professional connections, participants have the opportunity to compete for scholarships awarded to top-performing teams. This element adds a rewarding incentive while recognizing excellence and creativity.

INDUSTRY SOLUTIONS COMPETITION

Industry Solutions Competition: Bridging Students and Industry Through Real-World Strategy



As the centerpiece of the University Outreach Program, the Industry Solutions Competition challenges students to develop innovative strategies that address real-world global mobility issues faced by today’s leading organizations. This initiative is designed to foster critical thinking, industry engagement, and career readiness.

How It Works



• Identifying Key Challenges
  The competition begins by identifying the Top 3 Global Mobility Challenges currently impacting corporate partners. These issues serve as the foundation for the competition and reflect real, strategic challenges in the field.
• Team Formation & Mentorship
  Students form teams of up to five and are matched with a dedicated team of mentors, including a corporate representative and several global mobility professionals. This mentorship team provides guidance, feedback, and industry context throughout the competition.
• Tailored Strategy Development
  Each student team selects one of the top issues and is tasked with developing a solution tailored specifically to their corporate mentor’s mobility program. Teams are encouraged to research publicly available or commonly shared information to inform their strategies, ensuring confidentiality and professionalism.
• Virtual Presentations & Finalist Selection
  All teams present their solutions virtually to the Community Outreach Committee, which evaluates the proposals based on innovation, feasibility, and business impact. The top three teams are selected to present their solutions in person at the Spring Meeting, offering a high-profile platform to showcase their work.

Why It Matters



This competition gives students the opportunity to:

• Apply classroom learning to real-world business challenges
• Explore how global mobility strategies impact business operations, profitability, and growth
• Gain experience presenting to industry professionals in both virtual and in-person settings
• Receive mentorship and feedback from seasoned experts
• Compete for scholarships awarded to top-performing teams

At the same time, corporate participants benefit from fresh perspectives and potentially actionable ideas to bring back to their leadership teams.

Team Registration

Submit one registration per team.  Students are responsible for organizing teams.

MARC mentors will be assigned to each team.  A virtual meeting will be coordinated by mentors for introductions and review of the case assignment.

Registration Opening January 9, 2026

Information for registration:

• Team name
• Participant names (up to five), for each participant:
• Email addresses for each participant
• Phone number (optional)
• Major
• Year (freshman/soph/junior/senior)

Key Dates for the Competition (dates subject to change)

• Friday January 9th Registration opens
• Friday, January 23^rd - Registration Deadline
• Wednesday, January 28^th - Mentor Assignments and Top 3     Challenges Released
• Week of February 2^nd - First Mentor Meetings
•  Week of Feb 16^th or Feb 23^rd - Round 1 Presentations
• Monday, March 2nd - Finalists Notified
• MARC EVENT (tbd)- Finalists Present at MARC Meeting and Winners Selected

Industry Solutions Competition: Rules & Guidelines



1. Eligibility

• Open to undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled at participating universities.
• Students must form teams of up to five members.
• Each team must register by the published deadline to participate.

2. Team Formation & Mentorship

• Students self-organize into teams of up to five members.
• Each team is matched with a group of mentors, which includes:
• A corporate representative who brings real-world context and company-specific insights
• Global mobility professionals who provide strategic guidance and industry expertise
• Mentors support the teams throughout the competition by offering feedback, answering questions, and helping students connect academic concepts to practical applications. However, mentors do not contribute directly to the creation of deliverables.

3. Competition Structure

• Each team is assigned one of the Top 3 Global Mobility Issues identified by corporate partners.
• Teams develop a solution tailored to their assigned issue and corporate mentor’s mobility program.
• Research must be based on publicly available or commonly shared information only.

4. Deliverables

• A slide deck (maximum 10 slides) outlining the proposed solution
• A presentation (10–15 minutes) delivered either virtually or in person during the first round
• All deliverables must be submitted by the published deadlines. Late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.

5. Judging Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on:

• Relevance to the assigned issue
• Innovation and originality
• Feasibility of implementation
• Business Impact on profitability, growth, and operations
• Presentation Quality and professionalism

6. Presentation Rounds

• First Round: All teams present either virtually or in person, depending on availability and logistics.
• Final Round: The top 3 teams are invited to present in person at the Spring Meeting.

7. Awards

• Scholarships will be awarded to the top-performing teams.
• All participants receive a certificate of participation and access to networking opportunities.

8. Code of Conduct

• Participants must uphold academic integrity and professional behavior.
• Collaboration outside of assigned teams is not permitted.
• Use of unauthorized or confidential information will result in disqualification.

Our Team

International Business Society, University of Georgia – Program Leaders

Tyler Parks – President

Bryce Tascher – Director of Events



Metro Atlanta Relocation Council – Program Leaders

Mary Weaver – Community Outreach Co-Chair

Desiree Nelson – Community Outreach Co-Chair

Scott Addaman – Community Outreach Committee

Mack Zittrouer – Operations