Supply Chain Management and Logistics in Panama : Reviews (Panama City)
The following program review responses have been selected for publication by Study Abroad & Global Engagement
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Joseph Grant Gideon,
Summer 2013 Participant
Making the connection of classroom discussion to real life practice was very enriching.
Summer 2013 Participant
The best parts of this program was meeting with businesses that have located to Panama to take advantage of its close proximity to the Panama Canal and bonding with others students that went on the trip.
William Joseph Roller,
Summer 2013 Participant
My favorite part was taking a day trip to Embera to see a native tribe.
Kimber Kathleen Valencia-Bravo,
Summer 2014 Participant
My favorite part of the program was seeing the distribution processes we talk about in class in action in real life. It was also exciting to see a modern marvel like the Panama Canal in person.
Winter Break 2014 Participant
The program provides a hands-on business experience like none other I have ever experienced. You visit offices and distribution centers, as well as ports, and the Canal and learn more in 10 days than you do in some semester-long classes!
Winter Break 2014 Participant
I really enjoyed visiting the various businesses and gaining first hand knowledge in different industries associated with supply chain management. The indigenous village in the middle of the rainforest was also very cool to visit.
Jason Joseph Young,
Winter Break 2014 Participant
The best part of the KU Supply Chain Panama Study Abroad Program involves the direct exposure to some of the world's most successful and innovative companies that touch every aspect of the supply chain model. Just as important is the broad based exposure to international business practices in addition to witnessing the culturally rich diversity present in Panama.
Matthew Scott Pearson,
Winter Break 2015 Participant
My favorite part of this program was being able to see the Panama Canal and the two major shipping ports on either side of Panama. The amount of shipping containers moving through Panama is astounding, which allows you to see various Supply Chain strategies.
Stephenson B Allen,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Being able to receive first-hand experience of the Panama Canal with some extraordinary people was definitely my favorite part of the experience. I've always been interested in world trade and the program really gave me a chance to fully indulge myself in the process of how the U.S. governement supported or furnish incentives for business to do business.
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Roger and Joe did a phenomenal job planning this trip! We stayed in a very nice hotel and ate at some great restaurants and we were able to tour so many interesting companies while we were there. Easily the best 10 days of my year
Allen Cody Flitcraft,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Visiting the Embera Drua indigenous village was my favorite part. It was so interesting to see how people that far removed from society, that I'm used to, live.
Winter Break 2016 Participant
This program was a great way to experience another culture while at the same time learning about Panama in relation to SCM.
Nicholas Andrew Herren,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
My favorite part of studying abroad in Panama was gaining a deeper knowledge of supply chain management while also being exposed to a new culture.
Luis Manuel Noble,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Visiting the indigenous people is something that I will never forget.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
My favorite aspect of the study abroad trip in Panama was being able to immerse myself in a new culture.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
My favorite part of this program is having dinner with Antonio Dominguez at the restaurant in Miraflores Lock Museum, which was amazing, while eating the delicious food with closer view of ship going through the lock. Antonio Dominguez is awesome and it's nice talking to him, I wish we have more time and talk to him.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
My favorite part of this program was learning about logistics and operations surrounding the Panama Canal.
Ashley Priscilla Howell,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
My favorite part about this program was having the opportunity to visit the Panama Canal and learning all of the rich history associated with it.
Cassiopie Nelson,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
There wasn't one specific thing that stood heads and shoulders above the rest; rather it was the complete package and the variety of all the activities and experiences that made this trip memorable. The primary objective of the trip to Panama was to see and to better understand logistics in real time however; there were many parts of the trip that allowed us to see and understand the cultural significance of Panama and its impact to global trade.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
Visiting an indigenous village in Panama was my favorite part. We got to see some of their traditions and learn about the history of their community. It was the most unique thing we did in Panama and I would love to go back.
Minghao Shang,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
There is not exactly a single part that I like best, there are many beneficial things from this program which bring different values to me. I think the visit to Logistics Service Panama, the discussion with Antonio Dominguez, the visit to the new canal, the discussion with Damco, and the acquaintance of this new world (which is highly different from the United States) are all beneficial to my values and perspectives.
Trevor Dillon Tracy,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
My favorite part of the program was the cultural aspect, and seeing how people lived in other parts of the world
Scott Benjamin Danielson,
Winter Break 2018 Participant
Visiting the indigenous village was an awesome experience. Touring all the ports, DC's, locks, canal, and all the business professionals we heard from helped me understand the shipping industry and global logistics.
Daniel S Jones,
Winter Break 2018 Participant
My favorite part of participating in this program was getting to know my fellow classmates, professors, and the people of Panama. We had free time to explore the culture and activities of Panama together, which was a unique bonding experience.
Winter Break 2018 Participant
My favorite part of the program was visiting the Miraflores Locks the first couple days of the trip. I also really enjoyed practicing my Spanish with the people there.
Winter Break 2018 Participant
My favorite part was getting a chance to be immersed in a new culture. Also I was able to visit many different organizations and see how they do business in Panama and the rest of the world.
Chadwick Wohletz,
Winter Break 2018 Participant
This program was an incredible experience. The material within built upon the supply chain concepts learned in previous SCM courses. I would highly recommend applying for this program for those with an interest in supply chain management and logistics.
Rachel Lee Anderson,
Winter Break 2019 Participant
I had a lot of favorite parts to the trip, but visiting the Panama Canal was amazing. You never really realize just how big the ships and the canal itself is until you are there. Seeing how the locks operate was so interesting.
Jacob J Campbell,
Winter Break 2019 Participant
The best part of this program was getting to view the inside aspects of various ports and some distribution centers with some new classmates and friends.
Winter Break 2019 Participant
I loved being able to interact with the locals and practice my Spanish. The best part was bonding with other KU students and being able to return and know more people at KU.
Winter Break 2019 Participant
My favorite part of this program was viewing logistic centers right in front of me. I enjoyed being up close to the action and learning about ports and distribution by visiting the plants.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
My favorite part of the program was getting to know my fellow students that I was having this experience with. We all bonded and stayed together throughout the trip from visiting companies, to going hiking, and exploring the local culture.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
My favorite part of this program was getting to experience this once in a life time opportunity with other students from my school.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
My favorite part was the friends I made while on my trip abroad. It was an incredible experience and each and every person on the trip made it that much more enjoyable. In addition our tour guide and now my friend, Andy, and his family were so connected around the country that it felt as if they were sharing their experiences directly with us.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I felt the places we visited adequately covered both supply chain and logistics concerns. The visits to the locks showed the supply chain part by allowing us to see what how the majority of the products that come through Panama are transported. The warehouses in the FTZ in Colon showed how those products are handled from their arrival in the canal until they are either shipped out through the canal again, or loaded onto a train, plane, or truck.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I really enjoyed becoming immersed in Panama's culture. We had a chance to explore on our own and truly get to experience this foreign country from both a structured and unstructured perspective simultaneously.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
It was really eye opening to see how business operate in other countries. Additionally, it was quite interesting to see how companies in Panama takes advantage of the canal and the logistics clusters available in Panama. I also very much enjoyed connecting with students that are studying similar things to me.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
My favorite part of the program was getting to meet other KU business students.
Joseph Grant Gideon,
Summer 2013 Participant
The viewing of the Panama canal operation iteself was amazing to see in action.
Summer 2013 Participant
Being able to represent KU from the USA in Panama. A lot of people associate KU with their highest honors, and it made me feel really good. I also found that the cultural experiences were very rewarding. It can be very humbling seeing some of the poverty and less fortunate in Panama.
Darius Dewaun Johnson,
Summer 2014 Participant
I found the interactions with professionals in the supply chain field to be most rewarding. As a student I have a lot of decisions to make when it comes to selecting a career, pursuing a graduate degree, etc. and to get advice from someone who has already traveled the path that I am traveling is invaluable.
Jarred Fredrick Kramer,
Winter Break 2014 Participant
So much information from such a vast majority of different businesses in only a few days is what was most rewarding for me. I learned more in the handful of days visiting the multiple distribution centers and businesses than I have in a few semester long classes. Also, traveling somewhere that has such a language barrier was a nice wake-up call to learn a second language. If you go on this and learn as much as I did, you will change your major to SCM (like I did).
Rachael Patricia Baldwin,
Winter Break 2015 Participant
As a class we were able to communicate with executives from a variety of relevant supply chain companies that allowed us as students to gain a better perspective of the supply chain world after college.
Laura Liliana Murcia Montenegro,
Winter Break 2015 Participant
Everything was very rewarding! The way the program is structured, I believe, combines perfectly the academic and the cultural activities in a way that students have a great learning experience in every activity they do. Through every single activity and presentation, we were able to realize in a deeper level the importance of supply chain management in this interconnected world. The program provides students with opportunities and experiences that one cannot obtain in a classroom setting. The program surpassed my expectations in every level, and I would recommend this program without any doubt. Every business student should have a learning experience like this!
Winter Break 2015 Participant
The whole experience was wonderful and I truly gained a great deal from it. I now understand much more clearly how supply chain works and how important it is.
Stephenson B Allen,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Most rewarding experience was meeting with Antonio Dominguez, who is also a KU Alumni.
Allen Cody Flitcraft,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
I found the tours and hands-on activities most rewarding for my supply chain knowledge. The tours of facilities keep you engaged and are much more interesting that powerpoint presentations where you can only see pictures.
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Being exposed to the Panamanian culture. Additionally, seeing the different types of supply chain solutions taken to overcome challenges that are related to international trade.
Luis Manuel Noble,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Networking with people who were actually in the field of business is something that I feel was extremely beneficial.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
I felt the most rewarding aspect was meeting new students, becoming closer to the professors, and building relationships with individuals in the supply chain world.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
I gained valuable real-world experience through this program.
Ashley Priscilla Howell,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
The elements I found most rewarding were having the opportunity to speak to the many companies and ports we visited and learning first hand what its like to have a career in Supply Chain Management.
Cassiopie Nelson,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
I really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with my fellow classmates and to actively engage with all the host company representatives. They all did a great job of explaining their roles, their company, and life working and living in Panama. Roger Woody did a great job of sharing his experiences with traveling to Panama and the relationships that he has established over the years. It was very apparent that "things get done" more effectively and efficiently with good relationships.
Nolan A Scheller,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
What I found most rewarding was seeing supply chain and logistics topics being used in a real world setting.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
My favorite part was getting to tour so many businesses and places relating to supply chain management. I was able to gain a holistic picture of SCM in Panama and how its relation to the world.
Daniel S Jones,
Winter Break 2018 Participant
Meeting company executives, supply chain professionals, and listening to presentations by people with first hand knowledge was amazing. Everyone was very accommodating and absolutely loved being able to present to a group of Jayhawks. The students on this trip are able to expand their professional network with International Business professionals and obtain an intimate knowledge of how Panama functions in the global business environment.
Rachel Lee Anderson,
Winter Break 2019 Participant
Being able to talk with the people at Panama Pacifico. We were able to learn about the sustainability city they are working on. Getting to see the huge impact supply chain has on the city and its day to day operations was really cool, and we were able to see what we learned in class applied in real life.
Winter Break 2019 Participant
I learned more in the two weeks I was on the program than I ever had in a classroom. Being able to see things in person and make connections made coming back to my business classes so much easier.
Winter Break 2019 Participant
I found the friendships, cultural experience, and visits to the logistic areas most rewarding.
Winter Break 2020 Participant
I found the trips to the different sets of locks the most rewarding as well as the presentations from various business leaders throughout Panama City.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I found seeing the companies' operations first hand the more rewarding. Being able to ask managers questions was very helpful and provided knowledge that you would not normally obtain in a classroom.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
Getting to see the distribution centers that we learn about in class in person was one of the most rewarding aspects of the program.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
The company visits to J Cain, IPL, MIT, WW Logistics, the Locks Systems, and the cultural tour were all value adding to me. Being a SCM major and having been so lucky to pick a major that works with my skill set but also challenges me has been a blessing. I have been interested in the major and all that surrounds SCM & logistics since entering SCM courses. All of these company visits and seeing the locks systems in real life were incredibly enriching to my SCM knowledge. The cultural tour and tribe visits also increased my awareness of culture and business conducted internationally.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
Walking around in the warehouses, that look so much like those I have worked in back home, I discovered what I want to do with my career. So, visiting the different warehouses in Colon was incredibly rewarding to me, because I now have a clear path after I graduate.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I enjoyed the lectures prepared for us by all the businesses we visited. We were first given a lecture then we transitioned straight to on the field interaction to experience what we just learned about.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I found it most rewarding to undergo experiences with my peers who eventually became my good friends. I really enjoyed connecting with other students on the trip.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
The element that I found most rewarding was experiencing another culture.
Summer 2013 Participant
Panama plays a key role in the supply chain for many companies around the globe. This experience gave me a much better understanding of how businesses are taking advantage of Panama's geographic location and the Panama Canal to bring efficiencies to their supply chain.
Winter Break 2014 Participant
I learned a great deal about business and the supply chain part of business. I would recommend this trip to all business students especially those who are SCM majors.
Stephenson B Allen,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
I learned more than just business interactions and relations. The experience provided me with a chance to be in a different culture than what I was used too. It's an experience that those who are looking to do business abroad or even in the states, should have. You learn more about yourself throughout the ten short days in Panama because you get to first-hand experience the way cultural barriers really effect relations.
Nicholas A Binetti,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Take advantage of every opportunity you have and learn as much as you can from the people you meet.
Allen Cody Flitcraft,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
I learned that it's great to experience something outside of what you're used to. I had never traveled abroad without anyone I knew, but an experience like that may be helpful in the future in getting jobs or promotions.
Winter Break 2016 Participant
The program allowed me to become more open minded towards my future career path and willingness to relocate. I am very glad I participated in this study abroad program.
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Make sure that you always travel with a friend wherever you go.
Luis Manuel Noble,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Be open to new relationships, both professional and personal.
Taylor P Ross,
Winter Break 2016 Participant
Always take the chance to push yourself out of your comfort zone.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
I think the program provided me a better background knowledge of business.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
Being able to witness the supply chain practice is very helpful, such as automation skill; getting know a different culture and understanding the importance of maintaining relationship since the economy is connected globally.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
The program prepared me really well for the trip so I was lucky enough to not have a lot of uh oh moments, but I do wish I had packed a little less so that I had more room for what I purchased abroad. I really had t cram to get all my stuff home.
Winter Break 2017 Participant
The program provides insight into international business and trade.
Ashley Priscilla Howell,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
Everything that I saw, did, and learned on this program has helped me in my major courses here at KU. I believe my experiences abroad in Panama give me an edge in my classes and understand the material covered better.
Cassiopie Nelson,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
It is important to prepare for any study abroad trip. Read extensively on the culture, history, food,government, and language. The more you know going into the trip the more you will learn and enjoy once you arrive. Most importantly, remember that different from ones' own culture does not mean bad and or inferior for the country culture you are experiencing; be respectful and inquisitive.
Nolan A Scheller,
Winter Break 2017 Participant
It is best to brush up on your Spanish in order to not be completely unaware of your surroundings. Also, try new food and experiences!
Winter Break 2017 Participant
Do not underestimate the importance of wearing sunscreen!
Isiah D Bowie,
Winter Break 2018 Participant
One thing that I found important on the trip was the daily journal. Keeping your thoughts on paper is the most helpful thing you can do on the trip because you will be doing so many things in one day you wont be able to remember everything. The journal doesn't have to be just for class but can be looked at in the future when you're older.
Daniel S Jones,
Winter Break 2018 Participant
If you have a prior knowledge of Spanish and are able to speak the language, you will have so much fun. Even if you're not fluent, or have a limited knowledge of the language, try your best to communicate with it. The people in Panama are very friendly, and helped me where my abilities were lacking. Just be confident, and use this opportunity to practice.
Rachel Lee Anderson,
Winter Break 2019 Participant
Ask as many questions as possible to the speakers. It is a wonderful opportunity to get their perspective and advice. Take in as much as you can because it goes by quick and is an amazing opportunity to see just how big supply chain is.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I learned that all companies are at different stages, and have different organizations, technologies, and customers. They all are having success in making money and serving their customers but accomplish it in different ways.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
To always be open to new experiences. You never know what traveling abroad may bring you; from new perspectives, new cultural understanding, new goals, to the best of new lifelong friends it was one of the best experiences of my college career.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
Get out of your comfort zone!
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I learned that this study abroad program is full of adventure and stepping out of your definition of normal. I learned to be open to trying new things and also to understand the significance of the opportunity presented to me.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I learned to always enjoy the moment and to soak up all of the valuable knowledge that is given to you by each company. While business is conducted rather similar in Panama as it is in the US, some employees/companies had different mindsets and ways to operate on a day to day basis and that is valuable knowledge to bring back to the US.
Winter Break 2022 Participant
I learned about how international business is different than US business.