Beyond the Classroom: How a Rice MBA Team Landed in Forbes Brasil

At Rice Business, we often say “You belong here.” For a group of our MBA students this past summer, “here” meant the high-energy, multilingual headquarters of Cuco Agency in São Paulo, Brazil.

What began as a Global Field Experience (GFE) project culminated in a mountain top professional milestone: creating a go-to-market strategy so impactful it helped land the client, and the Rice consulting team, in the pages of Forbes Brasil.

From Theory to Application

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The GFE is a cornerstone of the Rice MBA, designed to transition students from academic frameworks to real-world execution. For Bodie Gilbert ’26, the mission was clear: lead a consulting team to support Cuco Agency, a premier marketing and immersive events firm, during a pivotal ten-year anniversary and the launch of a new AI-driven product initiative.

“We weren’t observing from the sidelines,” Gilbert recalls. “We were brought in at a moment where strategy had to translate directly into execution at scale. Our charge was to build a strategy that could survive outside of a PowerPoint presentation. If it didn’t work in the real economy, it didn't belong in the plan.”

Leadership Under Pressure

The Rice MBA curriculum prepares students to operate in ambiguity without freezing. In São Paulo, that training was put to the test. The team worked late into the night, revising the architecture of a market entry plan line by line.

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As the team lead, Gilbert focused on shaping decisions, narrowing options and protecting the momentum of a diverse group of consultants. The team represented different industries and professional backgrounds, but the shared Rice framework allowed them to gel quickly into a disciplined, high-performing unit.

“The GFE is a pressure environment by design,” says Gilbert. “It asks whether your frameworks still work when the stakes extend beyond the classroom. That evening in the Cuco office, the work stopped resembling coursework. It became a shared responsibility and a point of pride.”

An International Impact: The Forbes Recognition

The efficacy of the team’s work was validated shortly after their return to Houston. The strategy they developed was implemented, and the resulting AI initiative gained the attention of Forbes Brasil. The publication highlighted the future of the creative economy, specifically noting the collaboration and the Rice acumen that helped shape the brand’s future.

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For Gilbert, the feature in an internationally acclaimed business publication reframed the entire MBA experience. It served as a public signal that Rice MBAs are not just participants in innovation; they are leaders influencing it on a global scale.

Ready for the Global Market

As Gilbert prepares to graduate this May, this experience serves as a testament to the caliber of talent produced at Rice Business. The ability to move into a multinational firm, navigate a complex cultural ecosystem, and deliver Forbes-level results is exactly what the Rice MBA is designed to do.

“The GFE doesn’t simulate impact — it creates the conditions for it,” Gilbert reflects. “It places students inside real companies with real risk and trusts us to deliver.”
 

Where Will a Rice MBA Take You?

If you’re ready to take your skills to the next level with a rigorous curriculum, international exposure and the opportunity to get hands-on experience, begin your application to the Rice MBA today.

Need talent? Our graduating Class of 2026, including leaders like Gilbert, are ready to bring this same level of analytical rigor and executive discipline to your organization. Connect with our talent to build your next team today.

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