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Central and South America
Social Innovation and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Latin America
Experience the history, culture and business of Latin America through the lens of social innovation and entrepreneurial leadership. The majority of your time will be spent in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, staying with a host family for a truly authentic experience. In addition, you will visit a variety of companies to learn about entrepreneurial initiatives, social innovation, microfinance and sustainable business practices.
Past visits have included Funcacion Mujer, CINDE, Cafe Los Volcanes, Zollner and Cargill. The program also includes a walking tour of historic San Jose; a visit to Cartago, the home of many coffee cooperatives; and time on either the Caribbean or Pacific coasts to see famous Costa Rican sunsets.
“Completing a practicum project in Costa Rica has been life-changing. It was amazing to be immersed in a different culture. I was there to create a fundraising strategy for a nongovernmental organization and was able to help this organization provide aid while personally learning and growing.”
— Jake Kinley, MBA ’19
Who Can Apply
- School of Management undergraduate students (sophomores, juniors and seniors)
- First- and second-year MBA students
Application Deadline
April 15 is the deadline for summer and fall programs. October 15 is the deadline for winter and spring break programs. All applications must be submitted by these dates to be considered for the following year's program.
Next Program
The Costa Rica program is an elective credit course that caps off with an experiential learning trip. Undergraduate students who are accepted will be force-registered for a 3-credit course. MBA students who are accepted will be force-registered for a 2-credit course. The class meets during the first half of the spring semester preceding the trip. Travel dates are as follows:
- Spring Break: March 15-20, 2021
- Summer: 6-10 weeks
COVID-19 Information
To ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, alumni and business partners during COVID-19, all global and Experience the 50 programs for fall 2020 and winter 2021 will be virtual learning experiences. Programs for spring 2021 are being developed with an option to easily shift to virtual learning experiences should that prove necessary.
Costa Rica Program Faculty Leader
Joana Gaia
Clinical Assistant Professor, Management Science and Systems