A group of MBA students from the Cal State Fullerton College of Business and Economics supported aspiring entrepreneurs in the Central American nation of Panama during January 2025. The students, who were advised by Marketing Assistant Professor Eric Setten, were in two teams, each working with a micro-enterprise owner. One group of students helped a client grow their chicken meat business by adding fans and heat lamps to allow the owner to raise 1,000 head of Cornish Cross chickens during the off-season, creating a competitive advantage. The other group focused on making crocheted earrings and developing a brand and Instagram presence to differentiate the client’s products from the competition.

Over five days, the student teams met with their clients, understanding their needs and desires for growth with the help of Spanish language translators. Using knowledge gained through Cal State Fullerton graduate coursework and their own work experience, the MBA students developed strategies to help their clients achieve their goals. The teams were given a $200 capital improvement budget to purchase materials to make their strategies a reality.

“For the chicken business, the students helped get the operation more climate controlled. The team purchased fans to help with the humidity and heat in Panama, which isn’t healthy for chickens during the peak of the hot season. They also purchased heat lamps to allow their client to raise more chickens during the cool season when there is still demand, but very little supply.” says Setten. “The students also helped the owner with an app so she could track her expenses, helping her upgrade from a paper system. At the end of the year, she will be able to buy a new chicken house for increased capacity, thanks to a savings of $30 per month.”

For the client making earrings, the main concern was profitably growing her business. The students helped with bookkeeping, accounting and branding. “The client was experiencing other entrants coming into the market, so the students set her up with a logo, Instagram with the first nine posts, and branded polo shirts and banner, along with a cash box,” says Setten. “It was exciting watching the students work on these projects. At the end, we did presentations in Spanish. Our MBA students were exposed to issues and problems they couldn’t conceptualize in the classroom and with America’s business environment.”

In addition to helping Panama’s aspiring entrepreneurs get off and running, the Cal State Fullerton students also explored the human and natural culture of Central America. Highlights of the trip included a boat trip to Monkey Island in Lake Gatun to observe New World monkeys, iguanas and bats. “It was like a real-life jungle cruise,” says Setten.

The Cal State Fullerton students saw the applied workings of the Panama Canal up close by visiting the Miraflores Locks, which enable ships to pass from the Pacific Ocean through the higher altitude Lake Gatun to the Caribbean Sea to the east. Students also visited a Guna village, where they were immersed in traditional songs and dances. The Business Titans even challenged Panamanian teens to a volleyball game!

The excursion was made possible through Global Brigades, a nonprofit health and sustainable development organization connecting volunteers from North American and European universities with opportunities in the Global South. The students also benefitted from a generous CSUF Instructionally Related Activities Grant which covered airfare, room, board, and other program expenses.

The Cal State Fullerton College of Business and Economics is committed to giving students immersive, globally-focused study and extracurricular opportunities, while also making a difference locally and globally through mutually beneficial partnerships such as the visit to Panama. For more on our graduate programs, visit the MBA and Graduate Programs web presence or read more of our articles on MBA and specialized business master’s programs.