Foreign currencies were more than just subjects of study for DePaul MBA student Marina Poulakidas this fall and winter. They were part of her internship experience at Goldman Sachs’ International Treasury Department in London, where she helped the private international investment bank prepare for the historic Euro conversion.

Poulakidas, 28, a student in DePaul’s MBA in International Marketing and Finance (MBA/IMF) program, was on the team that developed Goldman Sachs’ contingency plans for the conversion to the Euro, a new currency adopted by 11 European countries Dec. 31.

"The contingency plans were developed to address any unusual events such as a major currency pulling out of the conversion," she said. "We looked at what would happen, from a Goldman Sachs perspective, if currency markets became illiquid." She and the team interviewed key managers in operations, technology and finance and helped the firm develop responses to various scenerios that could arise during the Euro conversion.

Poulakidas, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook, said she felt fortunate to work under the head of the International Treasury Division for the entire firm during her September through December internship. She believes her global business experience, along with past work as a credit analyst, will boost her job marketability. "The internship helped me better understand the importance of the European community to the world’s economy," she said. "I’m more aware of the globalization that is taking place in business, especially in banking."

Poulakidas is one of 36 students who will graduate at the end of March from the MBA/IMF program offered by DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.

The 18-month, full-time program combines classroom instruction in international marketing and finance, taught by DePaul faculty and business leaders, with study abroad seminars and extended international business internships. DePaul launched the program in 1994 with advice from business leaders who stressed the importance of finding employees with a global perspective on business.

While most of the students in the March graduating class are Americans, students from Bulgaria, China, France, India, Korea, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia and Thailand are also members of the class. American students in the program intern with units of corporations, banks, financial institutions or advertising/marketing agencies in Europe, Asia and Latin America, while foreign students intern with similar firms in Chicago and other U.S. cities.

"The IMF program is truly unique because students first learn the underlying concepts of international business through their classes with colleagues from around the world," said Deidra Wolff, director of the MBA/IMF program. "The students then enhance their skills further by applying the concepts during their internships abroad. The combined experiences result in graduates who fully understand the complexities of the global marketplace."

Note to reporters: Wolff can be reached at 312/362-8454.