12 Aug 2024 UA Little Rock Take Immersive Study Abroad Trip to Argentina

A dozen University of Arkansas at Little Rock students embarked on a transformative study abroad experience to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to learn more about international business operations and management.

Over the course of their visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, from May 9-18, the 12 students from the School of Business engaged closely with local businesses, explored bustling ports, and participated in a series of enriching excursions across this vibrant economic and cultural hub.

The students who went on the trip include Lakesha Cathy, Kuei-Ho Chen, Christine Cotton, Chloe Deaton, Emma Dorsey, Chad Files, Tariq Jones, John Major, Tara Mitchell, Angie Cervantes Raya, Jessica Salas, and Jordan Snellgrove.

Kuei-Ho Chen, an MBA student from Taiwan, described the trip as an incredible opportunity for both study and exploration. “I appreciate having this chance to study abroad,” Chen said. “This trip has been a rich learning experience that has broadened my understanding of business and its impact on our global interconnectedness.”

The study abroad trip was led by Dr. Joe Felan, associate professor of management, Dr. Otmar Varela, professor of management, and Dr. Ashvin Vibhakar, Joe T. Ford Professor of Finance. “The focus of our study abroad trip was to learn about supply chain management and global operations,” Felan said. “We took the students to the Port of Buenos Aires, one of the busiest ports in South America, and discussed issues related to import and export. Argentina ended up being a fascinating place to visit.”

The group also visited the Puerto Madero Distribution Center to learn about logistics operations, an agricultural organization to learn about agribusiness in the region, the National Bank of Argentina, the Buenos Aires City office regarding the city’s business promotions, and a trip to a yogurt manufacturing plant to see operations management practices in action.

The group also participated in fun group excursions like going on neighborhood tours, horseback riding, seeing a tango show, and watching a local soccer match. Varela, who used to play soccer in college, even demonstrated some of his soccer skills to the group before the soccer match.

“Soccer is a huge part of the culture in Argentina, and I think we were all impressed by Otmar’s soccer skills,” Vibhakar noted. 

“Argentina offers a larger cultural shock for our students,” Varela said. “We took several tours of the area with local cultural experts. I found it interesting to visit the market and some of the trendy neighborhoods with coffee shops and museums. This trip exceeded my expectations in terms of experience. The feedback from students was amazing.” 

While the students had many fun experiences, for one student, the foreign cuisine was the best part of the trip. 

“We were introduced to facets of Buenos Aires culture from open air markets, life in the Parana River delta, the Catholic cathedral of Pope Francis, a local soccer match, tango show, and fine dining experiences,” said John Major, a senior business administration student from Little Rock. “I had the opportunity to join some of my fellow students in trying at least two Michelin Star restaurants and four other wonderful dining experiences. These are some of the top 10 meals I have ever had. The steak, pasta, and fusion dishes make other meals diminish in contrast.” 

Every student who went on the study abroad trip received a scholarship from the UA Little Rock School of Business. Varela and Felan plan to lead another study abroad trip for School of Business students in 2025. The details will be announced in the fall, and scholarships will be available for the participants.

“For many of our students, this is the first time they’ve been outside of the state of Arkansas, the United States, or even the first time they’ve traveled on an airplane,” Vibhakar said. “The program gives them an outstanding experience to grow. Having lived in multiple countries, I emphasize to students that you should seek every opportunity to experience another nation and culture.”