Troy University’s Sorrell College of Business recently hosted the Network of International Business Schools’ annual conference on the Montgomery and Troy campuses.

The conference unites business schools worldwide to exchange best practices for integrating these skills into the curriculum and providing students with a multifaceted, global skill set needed to thrive in a rapidly changing international landscape, said Dr. Clint Relyea, director of the Sorrell Global Scholars program and an associate professor of management.

“In today’s interconnected world, the ability to navigate global markets and lead diverse teams is essential for business success,” he said. “When NIBS members come together at the NIBS Annual Conference, members share their wealth of knowledge, excellent projects, collaborations, partnerships, research, and so much more.”

Some 50 NIBS members representing 20 countries attended an opening session on the Montgomery Campus where TROY Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., welcomed the group to Alabama. The group’s second session was held in the Lamar P. Higgins Ballrooms on the Troy Campus. An awards banquet followed the second day at Dream Field Farms near Union Springs.

The banquet honored two TROY students with the organization’s David Gillingham Award, marking the first time students have ever received the recognition.

Mollie Kate Erwin and Caden Whitt, both Global Scholars in the Sorrell College, took top honors with their submission, “American Citizen, Global Citizen.” Named in honor of the founding president of NIBS, the award, introduced in 2013, honors outstanding, internationally oriented business education projects. The 2025 award marks just the third time a U.S. member has garnered the award.