The College of Business will host a study abroad trip to Central America. The trip, led by Associate Professor Frank Badua, will take place from March 9 to March 16.

The first stop will be in Costa Rica, a hub for ecotourism and agricultural and manufacturing exports. Students will visit tropical waterfalls, a coffee plantation, and conduct visits with local business. Additionally, students will visit Poas Volcano National Park near San Jose.

“One of the course requirements is that the students try to haggle with a local vendor in Spanish, and part of their grade on the assignment is how much of a bargain they are able to negotiate,” said Badua, who holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University.

Students will then travel to Panama, the crossroads for the Atlantic and Pacific trade. Students will attend a lecture and meet with the CEO of the Panama Canal Authority, see container ships go through the Miraflores locks, and conduct business visits with multinational companies.

“We will be visiting a machine parts manufacturer that has made plasma engines for NASA, a coffee plantation that has provided beans for Starbucks and is certified as a sustainable enterprise, an institute that studies renewable energy production, and of course the Panama Canal,” said Badua.

“I’m happy to say that the trip will have something interesting for all business majors, and for any student interested in learning about Latin America,” said Badua.

For more information, contact Badua at (409) 880-8649 or fbadua@lamar.edu.