High Point University students in the Earl N. Phillips School of Business traveled to Spain for a “Maymester” trip, exploring marketing and the culture in the country. 

Dr. Miguel Sahagun, associate professor of marketing, led the four-week long trip. The HPU Marketing in Spain class visited Salamanca, San Sebastian, Universidad de Salamanca, Segovia, Seville, and other cities. 

HPU’s “Global Experience” and “Maymester” programs are short-term study abroad opportunities allowing HPU students to travel within the U.S. and internationally to learn about different cultures through real-world experiences. This year’s faculty-led study abroad trips supported nearly 150 students exploring and connecting with different people globally and in the United States throughout the month of May. Study abroad experiences included trips to London, Italy, Ecuador, Spain, Germany, France and the Netherlands. 

During the trip, students visited Spain’s monuments, participated in marketing classes at a local university, had an experiential learning opportunity through cooking authentic dishes like paella and gazpacho, visited the Iberian Ham factory and presented their final marketing commercial projects during the culmination of the trip. 

“My experience during this Maymester program is something I’ll never forget,” said Elana Kaminsky, a senior from Long Island, New York. “I was able to see parts of Spain that I would never imagine myself going to. I also got to learn so much in the class we took. It was an overall amazing experience.” 

One of the activities in Spain included a stop at the Parque Cientifico at a local university. This is where the university helps entrepreneurs start their businesses, support projects that boost local development and innovation, and foster research in multiple areas. 

“There are many ways to learn about a new culture, but nothing compares to the experience of being fully immersed in it,” said Sahagun. “This is what studying abroad provides.” 

The HPU Marketing in Spain class returned to the United States in early June.