Rice MBAs from the Class of 2026 with GFE client Cuco Agency.
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
Image
Bodie Gilbert, Spencer Agubulom and Frank Brown working with Cuco Agency.
The GFE is a cornerstone of the Rice MBA, designed to transition students from academic frameworks to real-world execution. For Class of 2026 MBA students Bodie Gilbert, Spencer Agubulom, Belle Pierce, Frank Brown and Brian Pitman, 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, Atlas.
Cuco, a global leader in experiential marketing known for delivering immersive brand experiences for brands such as Nike, Amazon and Dior, is now expanding into technology and artificial intelligence to scale its impact across the creative economy.
“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.”
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.
Image
Rice MBAs presenting to Cuco Agency.
As the team lead, Gilbert focused on shaping decisions, narrowing options and protecting the momentum of a diverse group of consultants. Agubulom served as the operations lead, mapping out process flows, pressure testing the financial structure, and making sure the solution could actually work in practice, not just in theory.
Pierce, the brand and communications lead, focused on bridging strategy and storytelling in a meaningful way — translating their insights into a narrative that was clear, actionable and resonated with the client. Pitman’s role helped Cuco translate their creative vision into a practical growth strategy by thinking through brand experience, product pricing, event technology, artificial intelligence and long-term scale.
Working with Cuco on Atlas was a masterclass in what happens when the right team meets the right founders. When trust is present on both sides, execution accelerates fast.
Frank Brown
MBA Class of 2026
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.
Image
Bodie Gilbert, Class of 2026
For the MBA team, 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 these MBA students prepare 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.”
“This project pushed us to balance our ambition with practical execution, which is exactly the kind of real-world strategy experience I hoped to gain from Rice Business,” says Pitman.
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.
If you’re looking to sharpen your leadership skills, business acumen and network without putting your career on pause, a Rice MBA for working professionals might be just what you need.
Wondering how earning an MBA will affect your earning potential? Read about how the degree can grow your skills and salary immediately and long after graduation.
