A group of nine friends smiling around a long restaurant table filled with platters of food in Rome.
A group of nine friends smiling around a long restaurant table filled with platters of food in Rome.

Water touches everything. The food we grow, the businesses we build, the communities we sustain.

For a group of MSU Denver students, that idea came to life in Italy, where classrooms were replaced with farms, research labs, irrigation systems, and conversations with global leaders working to solve water scarcity challenges.

Last fall, seven students, including four MBA students, traveled to Rome through MSU Denver’s One World One Water study abroad program. During the week-long experience, they examined how water influences food systems, sustainability, policy, and business decisions at a global scale, connecting environmental challenges directly to economic and organizational impact.

Sam Aghbashian
“The Rome study abroad experience fundamentally reshaped how I think about business leadership. Seeing centuries-old water infrastructure still sustaining modern economies highlighted that durable strategy requires stewardship, systems thinking, and humility. Experiential learning with cohort colleagues doesn’t just augment knowledge, it changes how you connect with work, colleagues and the world.” – Sam Aghbashian, Current MBA Student

A Global Classroom

What makes the Italy program distinctive is its blend of science, policy, and business.

Students meet with leaders at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to understand how global food and water policies are shaped. They visit farms and agricultural producers implementing regenerative and water-wise practices. They tour research organizations focused on environmental science and hydrology. This year, the cohort also traveled to Bologna to visit Canale Emiliano Romagnolo, one of Italy’s largest irrigation districts, to see large-scale water management in action.

For MBA students in particular, these experiences bring classroom concepts to life. Topics like sustainability strategy, risk management, supply chains, and resource allocation move from theory to real-world application.

A photo collage of a Rome study abroad trip showing a scenic river view, a group selfie by a red restaurant sign, and the group posing at an industrial site wearing blue shoe covers.

Built On Partnership

The program began in 2018 through a collaboration between MSU Denver’s One World One Water initiative and Università per Stranieri di Perugia’s water studies program. When the partnership later moved to Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, the experience evolved alongside it.

Now offered in collaboration with the School of Business, the program gives graduate students a rare opportunity to explore how environmental and resource challenges directly influence business decisions and global markets.

“This program is such a unique opportunity for MSU Denver students to learn about water in a range of facets, from ancient aqueducts to modern-day climate change mitigation to food production and impacts of water scarcity and quality on business and sustainable development. All of this while experiencing the eternal city and its famous sites, amazing food and impressive history. – Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd, Co-director One World One Water Center

From ancient aqueducts to modern climate solutions, students see firsthand how water has shaped civilizations and how it will shape the future of business and communities alike.

Experiences like this help students develop a broader perspective, stronger global awareness, and the kind of systems thinking today’s organizations need.

Sometimes the most powerful learning happens far beyond the classroom.

One World One Water Center (OWOW) CBUS Buzz

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