Lauren Feffer

Student participant in the Summer 2025 Business Connections Learning Community Program to Costa Rica and Panama, featuring a smiling young woman’s portrait framed in pink, surrounded by colorful airplane travel graphics.

A group of eight young women pose cheerfully in front of a lush waterfall during an outdoor adventure. They are standing on a wet stone pathway with greenery and mist around them, wearing casual summer clothing and athletic shoes. Most have their arms raised or extended in joyful, celebratory gestures.

Tell us a little bit about your experience. For starters, why did you choose the program that you did?

I remember prior to joining the BCLC, I heard that they offer trips abroad every year for the students within the learning community. The more I heard about the past trips made me realize how great of an opportunity it would be to attend one, so I decided to apply. When I found out that I was accepted on the trip I was excited to embark on a journey that would help me build connections with my peers and with people from different parts of the world.

A young woman stands smiling on a rooftop with one hand resting on a railing, overlooking a vibrant cityscape of tall modern buildings under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. She is wearing a black dress and carries a shoulder bag, with the words "El Panamá" visible on a building in the background.

What did you gain from the experience?

I gained many things from this experience. First of all, I learned so much about the culture of both Costa Rica and Panama. We fully immersed ourselves in all areas of culture such as food, dance, language, and traditions. I absolutely loved and appreciated all of the locals who helped us do this and gained much perspective through it. I also learned a lot about how business differs in other countries. Each country had very different sources of income and it was interesting to compare how each place made their money.

A group of ten young women pose together on a rooftop at dusk, with a modern city skyline featuring tall, illuminated skyscrapers in the background. They are dressed in colorful, summery dresses and are smiling warmly, creating a celebratory and joyful atmosphere against the urban evening backdrop.

What unique Experiential Global Learning opportunities did you encounter during your time?

One unique Experiential Global Learning opportunity we had was visiting the Panama Canal. This was such an interesting place to see in person, as I have heard about this landmark in the news for years. We were educated on the history of the canal upon arrival and witnessed a huge ship pass through when we went. There is so much more to the history and engineering behind it than I ever realized, so I learned so much on this day.

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How has Experiential Global Learning helped you to understand and appreciate your program’s field of study?

Experiential Global Learning has helped me understand how much I love international business. I was given the chance to combine two of my passions (travel and business) on this trip and I absolutely loved it. It made me realize how many opportunities there are within the business field all over the world.

What would you say is your most memorable moment from the trip?

The most memorable moment from this trip was attending the La Paz waterfall, which cascades down a 120-foot drop. Before reaching the waterfall we walked through the rescue and saw so many intriguing animals. There were Toucans, Parrots, Jaguars, Leopards, Butterflies, Varieties of Snakes, and so much more. I really loved the wildlife in Panama and enjoyed photographing all there was to see.

Tip(s) you’d give for future students participating in a program or those who are just starting to think about an experience

If I could offer a tip to any students participating in a program it would be to be adventurous and go out of your comfort zone when abroad in order to take out the absolute most from the experience.