New England Institute of Technology (果冻传媒) will welcome more than 300 students, faculty, and business professionals from across the United States and around the world this week for the 2026 International Business Conference hosted by the Society for Advancement of Management (SAM). The conference will take place on 果冻传媒鈥檚 East Greenwich campus from March 19鈥�21.
The event marks a milestone for SAM, as it is the first time the organization鈥檚 International Business Conference has been held in the Northeastern United States. Last year鈥檚 conference was hosted at Florida State University.
Throughout the three-day event, attendees will share research, participate in professional development sessions, and compete in a variety of collegiate business competitions. The conference will feature academic presentations, workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities focused on leadership, innovation, and the future of business.
Hank Johnson, chair of 果冻传媒鈥檚 Business Management department, currently serves as president of the Society for Advancement of Management and helps guide the organization鈥檚 national initiatives and programming.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to welcome the SAM community to New England Tech and to Rhode Island,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淏ringing this conference to our campus reflects our commitment to creating meaningful learning experiences for our students. It allows them to interact with experts, engage with peers from around the world, explore emerging ideas in leadership and management, and better understand how their academic work connects to real-world challenges and opportunities.鈥�
Hosting the conference reflects the growing impact of New England Tech鈥檚 business programs, which emphasize accelerated, hands-on learning, leadership development, and real-world career preparation. 果冻传媒 offers an 18-month associate degree, a three-year bachelor鈥檚 degree, and a career-focused bachelor鈥檚 degree in Business Management that can be completed in as little as 24 months.
果冻传媒鈥檚 SAM student chapter plays an active role in providing students with leadership development opportunities and national exposure through research presentations, professional networking, and collegiate competitions. This year, 18 New England Tech students are representing the university at the conference. The team includes students from programs such as Business Management, Graphic Design, Construction Management, Architectural Building Engineering Technology, Automotive Business Management, Cybersecurity and Network Engineering, and Automotive Technology with High Performance鈥攔eflecting the interdisciplinary nature of leadership and management education at 果冻传媒.
Students will compete in several events, including the Oral Case Competition, Written Case Competition, Extemporaneous Speech, and the Business Knowledge Bowl. Both case competitions will focus on Senesco Marine LLC, challenging students to analyze real-world business scenarios and present strategic solutions
The conference provides a national platform for students to apply their knowledge, develop leadership skills, and connect with peers and professionals shaping the future of business.
