A two-and-a-half-week study abroad experience over the winter break proved to be transformational for University of the Ozarks junior Carol Yesivel Samaniego Montenegro, opening her eyes to global perspectives that will shape her future career.
Samaniego, a finance and marketing major from Panama, participated in a 17-day winter program at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea, where she completed an intensive course in behavioral finance. The experience aligned seamlessly with her long-term goal of returning to Panama after graduation to pursue a career in financial planning and development with a multinational company.
“The course really aligned with my future goals, since one of my dreams is to work at a multinational firm back home,” she said. “I believe that the course helped me gain a better understanding of a side of the world that I did not have a complete grasp on. I am glad I got to meet people from different continents and to had the opportunity to understand the reasoning behind financial behaviors in each of their countries.”
Samaniego said she had been searching for a study abroad opportunity for several months when she discovered the Hanyang University Winter Program.
“I was drawn to the program’s benefits, like the opportunity to build a global network, the chance to study under a renowned professor in a field that directly complements my majors, and the fact that the program included funded cultural travel,” she said. “I got a scholarship from Hanyang University to cover part of the tuition expenses, and the remaining balance was covered through the Student Enrichment Fund here at University of the Ozarks.”
Her days in Seoul followed a structured yet immersive rhythm, blending academic rigor with cultural exploration.
“Classes would start at 9 a.m. and last until 3 p.m., and then right after class a group of friends and I would explore Seoul,” Samaniego said. “For example, we would go to the most iconic places like the Historical Palace dressed in traditional clothes or visit the Seoul Communications Tower, most known as Seoul N Tower from which you could see the whole city. After that, we would go to the busiest district in the city to grab a local dinner and then enjoy the city at night.”
Beyond the classroom and sightseeing, Samaniego said the experience had a profound impact on her worldview.
“I got to know a lot about Asia and Europe through my classmates, their experiences and insights, our cultural differences and how we can learn every day from them,” she said. “I also got to learn from my professor because the course I took is not usually offered here at Ozarks. However, I found myself applying things I learned here. The best thing that I gained from it was the whole experience of comparing countries and applying concepts through panels and hands-on projects. Surprisingly, I got to know that even if our cultures might differ, we share economic and financial aspects that help the relations between countries. I believe it made my view of the future broader. And of course, I got to learn incredible things about Korea and its people while traveling to many provinces within the country.”
Several moments from the trip stood out as especially meaningful.
“The moment that impacted me the most was when I visited the province of Pyeongchang and the province of Gangwon,” she said. “The first is where the 2018 Winter Olympics happened. We got to see the old Olympic villa and a museum, and days later I got to see a team of kids training for winter sports at another site. That was shocking because winter sports seems so foreign to me and something I would only see through a screen. Another really special moment was to wear the traditional clothing called Hanbok while walking through the Historical Bukchon Hanok Village, which is a preserved site with traditional houses and buildings from the 19th century. After that, we walked from the village right to the skyscrapers of Seoul and saw the Historical Gyeongbokgung Palace. With friends from the winter session, we got to meet an international photographer that featured a story of us in his page and guided us through the Historical Village.”
As she prepares to graduate and return home, Samaniego said the experience reinforced her desire to contribute meaningfully to Panama’s financial sector.
“I believe Panama is a great country for exchange and financial trading, and its growth depends on people who understand that the world is more connected than we think,” she said. “That is why having a broader, real, and educated perspective of the world can help Panama with bigger goals. By returning home with a specialized understanding of behavioral finance and Asian market dynamics, I hope to join and be of help in Panamanian firms to better work international projects. My main goal is to use this perspective to work on local financial planning and global economic trends, because it would be great for our markets to remain competitive and attractive to international investors.”
Topics: Marketing, Student Stories