Testimonials

“Hello my name is Max Cooper. I am a Biology major at the University of Louisville also pursuing a double minor in Spanish and Latin American and Latino Studies. This summer I attended Louisville’s 2010 study abroad program in Panama. Panama is an amazing country with so much to offer. We went on many excursions including a trip to the rainforest where we met the Embera, an indigenous people who taught us about their culture, and also to the Panama Canal which is very interesting and full of history. There is also so much to do in Panama outside of the program, from fantastic restaurants to some of the best nightclubs you have ever seen. My favorite part about the time I spent in Panama were the people. Panama is full of very friendly people which made it easy to use my Spanish background to communicate with them, because I knew what I said might not have been perfect but they were very willing to help me”.

Panama is absolutely the place to study abroad for many reasons. You will not find a more beautiful country than panama. It is tropical, the city is terrific, and we went to some of the best beaches I have ever seen. I will be returning in January to begin an internship myself, because Panama is full of internship opportunities for all different types of majors including my own. When you study abroad go to Panama because it is an amazing country and holds so many opportunities. My time in Panama is assured to be the greatest life changing experience thus far in my life.

Phillip Max Cooper
University of Louisville
UofL Spanish Program, May 2010

“My name is Alexander Wells. My area of study and interest is political science and more specifically, the Latin American drug trade.While in Panama, I was able to take two courses, one in Panamanian culture and the other in cross cultural communication. These classes were of great importance and help because they helped me gain general and specific information about cultures in Latin America.

My overall experience with this program was very positive. Everyone involved, from the planners to the professors, were very capable and professional. My most favored impression was the very informative trips to the native settlements in Panama. From my personal vantage point, getting to better understand all people in Panama helped give me a better understanding of Latin America.I was happy with my experiences in Panama and would recommend this program to others”.

Alexander Wells
University of Louisville
UofL Spanish Program, May 2010

“¡Hola! My name is Jesse Payne, and I’m a senior at the University of Louisville. I’m majoring in Philosophy and Psychology and minoring in Political Science, History, and Latin American Studies. I studied abroad in Panama for three weeks via a program offered by my university, which has a partnership with Quality Leadership University.

My experience in Panama was amazing. The program was very well organized and full of excursions such as visiting historic sites, rainforests, islands, the Presidential Palace, the Panama Canal, an indigenous village and many other fun and interesting places. Also, the courses offered were interesting and helped me to complete my minor in Latin American Studies. When I wasn’t in class or on excursions, I was out exploring Panama City! The people, the culture, the food … there was so much to do and see! I highly recommend Panama as a place to study abroad, and the people at QLU do a great job organizing the student experience in Panama. I couldn’t have asked for more”.

Jesse Payne
University of Louisville
UofL Spanish Program, May 2010

“My name is Kerry Griesinger and I am a recent graduate from the University of Louisville, Kentucky and the College of Business. In May 2010, I traveled to Panama with the Latin American & Latino Studies program at UofL Kentucky. I decided to take the trip not only because I needed the class credits for my degree but I wanted to travel outside of the country and immerse myself in a culture different from the one I was raised in. The experience I had was amazing. Not only were the people friendly and hospitable, but many of them offered their time to show me and the others around the city and welcomed us into their homes as if we were family.

Panama is rich in culture and it was interesting to learn the different ties between the United States and Panama. Whether I was traveling within the city or making my way to the indigenous tribes located in the rainforest, I felt comfortable and learned a lot, not only about Panama but about my own culture. I would recommend students taking a study abroad trip to Panama, not only to learn about a different culture but to learn more about one's own culture. The people I met throughout this trip have become my friends and it's great to have that connection between countries”.

Kerry Griesinger
University of Louisville
UofL Spanish Program, May 2010

Internships

“I have always thought the internship is one of the most important parts within the process of becoming a professional. That is why I am very grateful for having the privilege of doing my internship at the United Nations Information Centre in Panama City, Panama. This has been one of the greatest experiences in my life, not only because I always dreamed about working at the UN but also because Panama is such an amazing city.

I think of Panama as a combination of cultures that takes the best of Latin America such as its landscapes and mixed them with the best characteristics of a developed country such as progress and innovation. This experience has taken me to a highest level in my live that represents the beginning of a successful diplomatic career and nowhere better than this unique nation, which brings together two titans such as the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean through the beautiful Canal”.

Sebastian Arias
Universidad Javeriana
Cali, Colombia

“My name is Rosslyn and I am a Spanish major at the University of Louisville. This summer, I spent an amazing three weeks studying Panamanian culture and Latin American pop culture at Quality Leadership University. I loved the academic combination of studying the culture in the classroom in the morning, then exploring the city and experiencing it firsthand outside of class. My favorite part of the study abroad program in Panama was meeting Panamanian students and exploring the beautiful streets of the Casco Viejo.

Panama is an extraordinary country, and I enjoyed seeing everything that it has to offer: idyllic beaches, lush countryside, exciting cities, and charming towns. I was fortunate enough to explore more of the country when I interned with the Impacto Project in Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro. Helping to teach these ten-and eleven-year –old children photography was one of the most awesome experiences of my life. I am grateful to the Brown Fellows Program and the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies for their financial support in my summer endeavors, and I already miss Panama”.

Rosslyn Steinmetz
University of Louisville

Directors

“When I became the Director of the University of Louisville's new Latin American Studies Program in 2002, the first charge that I was given was to create a Study Abroad Program in Panama for UofL students. The Quality Leadership University in la Ciudad de Panamá had been collaboratiing with the University of Louisville for years, and fortunately the infrastructure was already in place (building facilities, classroom space, faculty and staff), and so I was able to organize and direct the 1st Annual Study Abroad Program in 2003, with 37 students participating as Panama Scholars. Several years later the Communication Department joined the Latin American and Latino Studies Program as a co-sponsor and each year undergraduate and graduate students from many disciplines, including Spanish, Communication, LALS, Biology, Political Science, among many others, have participated in our program. In their Panama Scholar Reports, students consistently remark that the program is a life-changing experience for them and that they learn as much about themselves as they do about the country of Panama and its people. They often mention how much they learn about the Panamanian culture in the classes that they take, particularly the Panamanian Culture class (taught by native Panamanian, Professor Ricardo Acosta), and how what they learn in class is reinforced by the planned group excursions. They also mention that their stay in Panama helps them to improve their speaking skills in Spanish and gain confidence in using the language. I recently returned from directing the 9th Annual 2010 Study Abroad Program in Panama and was able to appreciate once again the positive impact that the program has on the lives of our students. For many of them, this program offers them the first opportunity to visit a foreign country, and in some cases, they are the first members of their family to have this opportunity. Of course the success of this program, which is now planning its 10th year, is due in large part to the highly efficient and caring staff of the Quality Leadership University. Each year they receive us with open arms and do everything in their power to make certain that our students have the experience of a lifetime! ¡Mil gracias a todos Uds! “

Dr. Rhonda Buchanan
University of Louisville
UofL Spanish Program, May 2010

Leadership Program

“Studying in Panama has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. The time I spend in there was really rewarding. The benefits I received touched my life in a positive way. I can say that it was a unique educational experience.

Besides the educational benefits I also enjoy the beauty of Panama and the people I met in there. The experience allowed me to increase my awareness about other cultures. I only keep great memories about Panama and is definitely a good option if you want to live remarkable experiences”.

Christian Barrientos
El Salvador
Global Leadership Program, Panama June 2010

“When we think in international experiences, we usually think in United States or Europe. After hearing about GLP in Panama, I decided to go to learn more about Latin America, a region that is very rich in culture. I don't regret at all about my decision, because I learned a lot, not only about leadership, but Latin America itself. It helped me to understand more about the similarities and differences we have, since I'm from Mexico and shared the experience with people from Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Venezuela, and of course, Panama.

Something that marked my experience was being able to make an international community service. Even though there are many people in Mexico that need help, I wasn't aware of the impact of these activities. After GLP Panama, I return to Mexico with the commitment to do something for my own community, since I'm sure I can make a difference”.

Ernesto Rivera
Universidad de Monterrey, Mexico
Global Leadership Program, Panama June 2010

“My name is Juan Sebastian Saavedra I am 20 years old and I am from Colombia. I’m currently doing a major in Economics and International Businesses at ICESI University in Cali, Colombia.

During this summer I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Panama City, and I got to know its people, its culture and specially I got to know how the business world works in this amazing place.

Panama City is an upcoming business epicenter for Latin America, allowing young business people to have the possibility of experiencing what is to be involved in great corporations, great business deals and most importantly to learn from this amazing and exciting field.

Panama is a very diversity metropolis that gives young people the great chance to know other cultures and share different experiences. The banks, corporations and multinational are expanding the networks, innovating and developing new possibilities for people around the globe”.

Juan Sebastian Saavedra
ICESI University, Cali, Colombia
Global Leadership Program, Panama June 2010

Teachers

“My experience at Panama as a professor of a 2 week summer program of leadership and organizational change was so significant. Having the opportunity of combine theory with experiences like visiting the famous Panama Canal, or the rain forest where we met an indigenous community as well as spending an afternoon at the United Nations office and had the chance to live the contrasting realities of a lot of Latin American cities, where you can experience development and prosperity just in front of poverty and lack of opportunities was an amazing learning experience.

Panama has a lot to offer, culture, delicious food, amazing natural scenarios, beaches, and a lot of history but most of all the opportunity to learn from its people, their stories and their daily work to embrace their origins and built a better future full of opportunities for all…”

Alma Ramírez
Universidad de Monterrey, Mexico
Global Leadership Program, Panama June 2010

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