“Thanks to the training we received from the university and our coaches, we can now be better entrepreneurs, sharing best practices as consultants with other companies and applying our knowledge to our own ventures. It is a great source of pride to represent my university on the world stage, and above all, to represent Mexico among the most outstanding students from the world’s top universities.”
– Luis Castellanos, a tenth-semester student in Family Business Administration and Management and a member of the team.
ZAPOPAN, Jalisco; December 4, 2023.— The dedication of a team composed of students from various business disciplines at the Universidad Panamericana Guadalajara Campus has garnered international attention after reaching the finals of a global competition.
Notable International Participation
While visiting Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, the students presented consulting-style solutions to a complex business case. Rodrigo Prieto, a student in the Bachelor of Business Administration and Finance program, along with his classmates: Luis Castellanos, Family Business Administration and Management; Eduardo Montes, Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing; and Karla Hernández, who is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Human Resources with a double major in Business Administration and Management, formed the winning team that stood out among more than 60 teams from 22 schools in 17 countries around the world.
“Participating in various competitions has prepared us to achieve this outstanding global ranking. We’re excited to give back to the University and our coaches for all they’ve done for us by securing a spot among the top five universities worldwide. We’re also excited to apply everything we’ve learned throughout this process both inside and outside the classroom, securing an excellent spot for the University in the finals,” says Karla Hernández.
“I’m really excited to be part of this competition, because we’ve already competed together many times, and going to a competition so far from home and bringing honor to the UP makes me very proud,” said Rodrigo Prieto.
Boosting Entrepreneurial Skills
The competition, which covers various fields of study with a focus on professional ethics and business practices, has become a crucial platform for the exchange of ideas and solutions. This team from the Universidad Panamericana been selected to represent all of Latin America and other regions of Europe in this prestigious final, an honor that underscores the institution’s educational quality and its students’ ability to excel on the international stage. The competitive process, which involved solving business cases and presenting an executive report to a panel of world-class judges, has been a valuable opportunity for these business students. Their efforts have placed them among the top five teams globally, and they will now compete for first place in the world finals to be held in 2024.
“The powerful combination of case-solving skills and the courses I’ve taken each semester at the university has greatly developed my rational and analytical business sense, which I’ve been able to apply to my professional life today. I truly recommend that any student take on this type of internship in order to truly develop their skills to their full potential,” says Eduardo Montes, an eighth-semester student in the Business Administration and Marketing program.
This recognition not only highlights the team’s analytical and advisory capabilities but also positions the Universidad Panamericana a leading institution in training future professionals who are prepared to tackle business challenges on a global scale.
Essential Support
Dr. Francisco López Torres, dean of the School of Economics and Business and recognized for his commitment to students’ professional development, has played a key role in promoting and supporting the team. In addition, the team’s coaches, MBA María Begoña Cota Mendia and MBA Carlos Iván Ayala Araujo, have demonstrated unwavering dedication, guiding the students toward success with their experience and knowledge. “Thanks to our coaches’ extensive training in case studies and business in general, I feel excited and confident that we will play a major role in this final,” said Rodrigo Prieto.
The team is now preparing to represent the university and the country in the world finals, which will take place in Asia next semester. As the team gears up for this exciting final round, the Universidad Panamericana this significant milestone and eagerly anticipates the results, which will help solidify its position as a world-class institution.
