FLEAP

Lessons Come to Life in Brazil

ilseu — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 15:03:34 +0000

Lessons Come to Life in Brazil ilseu Tue, 11/04/2025 - 07:03 More News UCR Business October 28, 2025

Over the summer, Alikoi Parra ’27 was among the 15 students who traveled to South America with the UCR School of Business Brazilian Leadership Experience.

“As a first-generation student, I’ve always been driven to get the most out of my college experience, and when Management Professor Kyle Ingram announced this program during the fall 2024 quarter, I knew I had to apply,” says Parra.

“I had never traveled outside the country before, and I saw this as a crucial step for my personal growth and future career.”

The three-week trip was led by Ingram as a significant component of UCR’s Faculty Led Education Abroad Programs. This experience was in partnership with Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC), one of the top business schools in the world and ranked No. 7 globally by the Financial Times.

“The program was built around my Designing and Leading Teams course and provided a deep, hands-on exploration of leadership, teamwork, and cultural intelligence with a global context,” says Ingram.

“Students examined how effective teams function across cultures and applied this knowledge through a team consulting project focused on expanding dignified work and income opportunities for favela residents.”

2025 FLEAP Brazilian Leadership Experience in Rio de Janeiro with UCR Business students Alikoi Parra ’27 (center) and Lanaye Gibson ’27 (right)

Leadership in Motion

The first half of the program took place in Rio de Janeiro, where students experienced the intersection of leadership, innovation, and culture, according to Ingram: “This portion emphasized leadership adaptability, communication, and the importance of shared purpose within cultural settings.” Students visited the Brazilian Naval Academy where two Brazilian Naval officers and UCR Business MBA alumni greeted them., “A senior officer shared what it means to lead in high-stress, high-stakes situations where decisions can mean the difference between life and death,” says Lanaye Gibson ’27, one of the student travelers.

2025 UCR School of Business FLEAP Brazilian Leadership Experience students with Prof. Kyle Ingram (front, center), visiting the Brazilian Naval Academy

In the second phase the group was hosted by FDC’s Nova Lim and Aloysio Faria campuses in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais and a hub for entrepreneurship and social innovation. The emphasis in this phase “focused on empathy-driven leadership, sustainability, and the intersection of business and social responsibility,” says Ingram.

The schedule included guest lectures, workshops, team-building activities, cultural encounters, and a final presentation by the students as they pitch their social impact solutions to a panel of judges comprising FDC faculty leaders and local social investors.

‘New Motivation’

“Professor Ingram is the kind of professor who genuinely wants his students to succeed, and he pushed us out of our comfort zones. This approach was vital when our class faced one impactful challenge: a visit to a local favela, where we worked to present ideas for improving the community’s livelihood,” says Parra.

“The vibrant energy of walking down the famous streets of Ipanema and Copacabana left a strong impression, but the classroom lessons were equally powerful. Professor Ingram’s class taught me how to be a better leader using practical tools that I know will help me in the future. The entire experience gave me a new motivation and curiosity about the world.” Gibson echoed that sentiment: “Opportunities like this don’t just allow students to study abroad; they allow us to grow into the leaders we’re meant to become.”

Experience Brazil with UCR Business / FLEAP

ilseu — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 01:06:09 +0000

Experience Brazil with UCR Business / FLEAP ilseu Mon, 01/06/2025 - 17:06 More Blog Posts December 19, 2024

Dr. Kyle E. Ingram is a seasoned world traveler. At age 19, he took a solo trip to Southeast Asia. As assistant professor of teaching in management, he has led several cohorts of UCR’s London Leadership Experience.

Kyle Ingram, Assistant Professor of Teaching in Management

None of that prepared him for what he found when he attended a conference on sustainable leadership last year in Brazil.

“It's a world I've never seen,” Ingram said. “From the moment I arrived, it was enchanting. The land speaks to you. I can’t emphasize enough how warm and friendly the people are.”

Those aren’t Brazil’s only enchanting qualities. It also boasts stunning architecture, incredible food and vibrant culture. And it’s a growing economic powerhouse that is home to one of the most respected business schools in the world, Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC).

Now, thanks to a partnership with FDC, School of Business students have an opportunity to gain a first-hand perspective on this South American marvel through The Brazilian Leadership Experience.

Led by Ingram, the Aug. 3-21 program will provide an exploration of leadership and sustainability, company visits and roundtables, and cultural and culinary experiences. Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to apply is Feb. 14. (See details below.)

Eye-opening opportunity

The program includes two weeks in Rio de Janeiro and a week in Belo Horizonte, home to FDC. Plans include case studies in partnership with FDC graduate students and judged by FDC faculty; a session on inspirational leadership at the famed Sugar Loaf Mountain; and a visit to a favela — one of the impoverished neighborhoods FDC is helping to thrive as self-sufficient communities.

FDC, which often partners with Ivy League universities, has developed an impressively rigorous learning journey for UCR students, Ingram said.

This is a rich opportunity for students to understand the role of business and leadership within the emerging economic alliance known as BRICS — originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. With recent additions of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, BRICS is developing into an economic counterweight to the West. Brazil’s economy alone is projected to become the world’s fourth-largest by 2050.

“U.S. students cannot afford to be naïve about the fact that other markets are emerging very quickly,” Ingram said. “We need to not only recognize the momentum but be integrated with it as well.”

Ingram, who teaches courses on designing and leading teams, looks forward to students observing the approach in Brazil to sustainable leadership.

“That’s something that needs to be recognized more by students in the U.S. — to see the impact that an organization’s leaders have on their communities,” he said.

Broadening horizons

As part of UCR’s Faculty Led Education Abroad Programs (FLEAP), The Brazilian Leadership Experience is a an eight-unit program with two upper-division management electives: BUS 145 Designing and Leading Teams, and BUS 190 Special Studies.

Experiencing these courses in an international context will highlight the challenges students will face in an increasingly globalized world. Courses are designed to take students out of their comfort zone to inspire personal development and growth — one of the greatest advantages of studying abroad, Ingram said.

“As with all these trips, my goal is to enable students to experience firsthand the things that have motivated me on international journeys,” he said. “There’s a moment when you can see it in their eyes. It happens in real time throughout the journey.”

Students can expect to feel safe and welcomed by the Brazilian people, Ingram said. Language will not be a barrier — many people speak English, and the group will be accompanied by people fluent in Portuguese.

For students concerned about the cost, Ingram notes that multiple scholarship programs are available and listed on the program’s website. (Applications should be completed before applying to the program.)

“This trip is worth it for the change it will make in your life,” Ingram said.

“Be prepared to be blown away in a very good way, around every corner — cathedrals, samba music coming from cafes, massive outdoor markets. The food is incredible,” he said. “You should be ready for beauty many people have never had the opportunity to see.”

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Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Travel Dates: August 5-26, 2025
Deadline: February 14, 2025, or until the program fills

Questions? The UCR Education Abroad FLEAP office is hosting virtual office hours at 10 a.m. on most Mondays from Jan. 6 through March 10. See the program website for details. Or schedule an appointment with Assistant Director Sonja Lind on calendly.com/sonja-ucr/meeting or contact her by email at sonja.lind@ucr.edu.

Education Abroad / FLEAP Brazil

London is Waiting

ilseu — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 22:34:09 +0000

London is Waiting ilseu Wed, 10/20/2021 - 15:34 More News Darin Estep October 20, 2021

The pandemic has upended travel plans worldwide, but London is waiting.

A group led by Assistant Professor of Teaching in Management Kyle E. Ingram will travel to London in Summer 2022 to focus on business leadership and understanding human behavior within organizations.

Kyle Ingram, Assistant Professor of Teaching in Management

Ingram knows England’s capital well; he completed his Ph.D. at the London School of Economics and Political Science and spent nearly a third of his life in the city. “Students will be able to network with the individuals I know academically and professionally.”

Over three weeks, the London Leadership Experience covers two leadership courses intended to push students out of their comfort zones. The curriculum includes visits to the offices of Google and Deutsche Bank, and students will present projects to be judged by panels of international business leaders.

“These stretch assignments enable students to grow,” says Ingram. “Through these experiences, you begin to see the world differently and thereby grow leadership capacity.

“Personally, I can't think of a better opportunity to engage in a stretch assignment than an international experience.”

Establishing a Global Professional Network

From Ingram’s perspective, the faculty-led international programs address several objectives for the School of Business.

“I think one of the greatest initiatives we have within our undergraduate program, in particular, is creating opportunity and experience,” he says. “In the international context, you develop your business skills, form new perspectives, and generate international connections.”

Learn more about the Business FLEAP London Leadership Experience 2022 or register for the program:

FLEAP / Education AbroaD INFO

FLEAP LONDON Registration