The 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting took place in Davos, Switzerland from January 19-23, 2026, and centered on the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue.” The meeting brings together global leaders from business, government, civil society, and academia to discuss world issues like geopolitics, trade, technology, and economic changes.
The event brought together nearly 3,000 global leaders, including heads of state and government and over 800 CEOs. Notable attendees were President Donald J. Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as many others.
Representing the next generation of leadership, 10 students from Palm Beach Atlantic University’s (PBA) AACSB-accredited Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. College of Business attended under the guidance of Associate Professor of Accounting Dr. Alexandra C. Cook, who obtained exclusive invitations for the students through profession connections with internationally based colleagues and in Davos.
Speaking on the World Stage
Nine PBA students spoke on the world stage, including MBA student and current dean of the Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy, Dr. Dana Strachan. She explained that her participation at WEF was made possible through the Family Office and Private Investments elective course as part of her MBA program. She entered the experience not as a traditional college student, but as an academic leader seeking to better understand how global conversations around business, investment, technology, and health intersect with higher education and professional formation.
During the week, Strachan had the opportunity to present her research. Her work focuses on the development of a web-based repository designed to catalog and organize artificial intelligence (AI) tools related to brain health. “Speaking at the World Economic Forum was both humbling and affirming,” Strachan said. “I felt a strong sense of responsibility to contribute thoughtfully to the conversation and to engage carefully with the complexity of the issues being discussed.”
Research Topics
Matthew Mazza, a senior majoring in business administration, presented his research project on the development of tokenization technology. It specifically focuses on how tokenization will transform property ownership, investment access, and its effect on the evolution of a free-enterprise market. He shared his research during a panel discussion with Family Office Investors and members from the Altru Institute, through which his research will be published.
Mazza initially approached the opportunity to attend WEF with some hesitation given the significance of the setting combined with the fact that it was his first time traveling outside the United States. He shared that he was especially thankful for the mentorship and guidance from Cook and noted that her knowledge and assistance allowed him to make the most of the experience.
“Going into the week, I thought it would be difficult to converse with individuals with such influence, power, and wealth, but this was not the case,” Mazza said. “Everyone I encountered was happy to talk to me and encouraged by the fact that I was a student attending Davos.”
3+2 MBA student Trent Holloway was also invited to speak at Davos, through the Altru Institute. Trent had the opportunity to present his research, “Who is in Water Worldwide? Global Stakeholders and the Future of Water Infrastructure.” The research highlighted key innovations and addressed some of the world’s greatest problems.
“It was an opportunity like none other,” Holloway explained. “The fact that students from PBA are speaking and influencing leaders in various industries in Davos during WEF is truly unheard of.”
He also thanked Cook for being able to put PBA on an international scale. “This trip exponentially grew my academic and career direction to a greater degree.”
A Unique Opportunity
Cook stressed the importance of this opportunity for the students as well as the University.
Leaders in Davos see the importance of engaging the next generation of leaders, but the next generation of leaders typically don’t attend the forum. The students from PBA were welcomed at Davos and have already received many invitations to be profiled as young leaders and join other organizations.
Cook explained that no other universities are providing this type of opportunity for their students at this time. PBA and the Rinker School of Business are at the forefront of this type of endeavor.
“The PBA students were recognized all over Davos and were stellar representatives of the University and the business school,” said Cook. “Hundreds of influential people were not aware of us and now have us on the radar.”
Learn more about opportunities for PBA’s business students at the Rinker College of Business’s website.
