IB Fall 2025 Singapore’s Resilience and Reinvention
CSULB Students Discover Singapore’s Resilience and Reinvention
Geography gave Singapore a port. Everything else it has—the economy, the institutions, and the standard of living—it had to build from nothing. For international business students, that distinction matters: it means that almost everything Singapore has achieved is a choice, and choices can be studied, understood, and learned from. IB494A: Short-Term Study Abroad to Singapore is built around that lesson. Nineteen CSULB College of Business students spent the Fall 2025 semester with Associate Professor Phan learning about Singapore's historical, political, and economic relationships with its Asian neighbors, and researching Singapore-based businesses ranging from supermarket chains and regional banks to vinyl record shops and art studios, before flying there in January 2026, when the classroom ended, and Singapore began.
In Singapore, students engaged with the institutional machinery behind Singapore’s success. A visit to the Maritime Port Authority revealed how Singapore’s seaport functions as the engine of its trade-dependent economy: continuous port expansions for ever increasing demand and plans for Singapore’s first automated unmanned lighthouse. Students even got to ride on the country’s first commercial electric boat. At the Urban Redevelopment Authority, students explored a 3D scale model of the entire island and how Singapore addresses land scarcity by building skywards, underground, and into the sea through reclamation—a window into the kind of decades-ahead planning that has defined the country’s rise. The program also brought students face-to-face with professionals from across Singapore’s industrial landscape, including scientists from Thermo Fisher Scientific, bankers from Deutsche Bank, and the founders of Aliena Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based aerospace startup developing satellite thruster technology. Taken together, these encounters gave students a rare cross-section of how international businesses actually operate in one of the world’s most strategically positioned economies.
Understanding how a country does business means understanding how it lives. Students fanned out across four of Singapore’s residential neighborhoods: Hougang, Toa Payoh, Tiong Bahru, and Bedok, conducting original fieldwork on the quotidian Singaporean experience. For example, in Hougang students found children who could fluently discuss American politics: a reflection of how a small, trade-dependent nation cultivates global awareness as a matter of survival. In Bedok, students saw how public housing anchors local commercial life and how Singapore’s public spaces quietly sustain the small-business ecosystems around them.
Culturally, the program made room for the full breadth of Singapore’s heritage. Students received an insider’s tour of the Chinatown Heritage Centre, tracing the difficult early lives of immigrants who built the city’s commercial foundations. At the Masjid Sultan Mosque, students were granted rare access to the Mosque’s famed roof top where they learned how glass bottles were embedded into the dome so that even Singapore’s poorest residents could feel they had contributed to its reconstruction. The Ford Factory, site of the British surrender of Singapore to Japan in 1942, gave the trip its most sobering afternoon.
No visit to Singapore is complete without a serious reckoning with hawker culture. Students were each assigned specific local dishes to seek out, taste, and rate, capturing their experiences in a trading cards creation assignment that formed a souvenir deck of the class's collective culinary journey. From a one-star Michelin minced pork noodles and barbecued stingray to frog leg porridge and the icon durian, students ate their way through the city with culinary curiosity. The program included with dinner at Singapore’s oldest Peranakan restaurant (that once served Lee Kuan Yew) and a farewell feast of chili crab at Roland Seafood Restaurant, the birthplace of Singapore's most iconic dish.
I include excerpts from students’ reflection papers, which capture the range of insight, surprise, and personal growth the program generated. As you will note, their experiences in Singapore were marked not only with rich cultural exchanges but with concrete professional development. Students consistently highlighted that their time in Singapore was pivotal in developing presentation skills, global business acumen, and their own aspirations for meaningful international careers.
IB494A Student Reflections: How the Course Changed Us
“The Short-Term Study Abroad to Singapore gifted me the opportunity to experience a sense of freedom I have never felt. Ultimately, it is through exploration that our deepest questions are answered, and through experience that allows us to live the limited time we have in this world. I went into this program as a curious business student and came out inspired to bring the spirit of development and resilience that was ever present in Singapore.”
— Jose Sanchez Bibiano
“Once we arrived in Singapore, I was able to experience in person what was discussed in class. I saw the uniqueness of Singapore, a small country with so many cultures. I learned that success abroad requires openness to new foods, a willingness to connect with different cultures, and to fully immerse oneself in the local way of life.”
— Erendida Zamaniego
“This study abroad program really changed my perception of the economy. Experiencing it firsthand, how much planning and operations go into running a country — influencing its infrastructure, milestones, culture, and food, the very identity — giving me greater appreciation for the meticulous system and those who planned it. It allowed me to improve my public speaking and presentation skills, and inspired me to seek employment opportunities abroad.”
— Sravya Gudapati
“This International Business course was one of the most meaningful experiences of my college journey. Learning history at Ford Factory, completing the neighborhood project in Hougang, and experiencing places like Chinatown and Katong gave me insights that could never come from a textbook alone. Although the coursework and travel were sometimes challenging, they helped me broaden my mindset.”
— Tiffany Nguyen
“Overall, the course was a once in a lifetime experience. I say this because it was my first time out the state, country, and first time on a plane. Having the opportunity to learn about Singapore's culture, history, and business model was rewarding. This class taught me a lot about a whole different lifestyle and taught me a lot about myself that I did not know.”
— Mario Ramos
“I was able to expand my worldview through this course which I will use in both my professional and personal life. Experiencing Singapore culture in person has exposed me to a new perspective that I did not have prior. Being able to go to culturally significant sites helped me understand how policies, history and social norms have shaped Singapore.”
— Sarai Parker
“From rigorous preparation and research to the unforgettable experience of learning in Singapore itself, the course challenged me both intellectually and personally. It pushed me outside my comfort zone, strengthened my understanding of international business, and helped me develop skills that will benefit me long after graduation. Before taking this class, I would not have even been able to point out Singapore on a globe. International business felt distant and not directly connected to my future.”
— Cooper Wilhelm
“I've never been so far from home before and for the first time I was experiencing so many new cultures, foods, customs that it sparked a curiosity to do the same with so many other countries. I saw how Singapore is composed of so many people that come from different cultures and speak different languages and yet maintain respect and harmony with each other. I want to remember how I felt being in a new place, doing all of this, and wanting to learn everything about it — that feeling of looking at the world with curiosity and an open mind — and transfer that to when I start my career.”
— Evelin Ramirez
“The IB 494A Short-Term Study Abroad course in Singapore was one of the most impactful academic experiences of my undergraduate career. It offered far more than traditional classroom learning by immersing me in a global business environment where culture, history, and commerce intersect. Experiencing both the successes and challenges of Singapore firsthand reinforced the importance of adaptability, cultural awareness, and strategic thinking in today's global economy.”
— Edward Luong
“From trying new foods and navigating public transportation to engaging with people from different backgrounds, these experiences pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way. What made this trip especially memorable was the sense of community that developed amongst our class, as we formed genuine connections and friendships that extended beyond this course. Having the opportunity to visit a country that I never imagined traveling to broadened my perspective both personally and academically.”
— Daniela Renteria Trujillo
“Overall, IB494 was both an academic and personal turning point for me. Before this course, I had never traveled outside of the United States, and the idea of navigating a foreign country felt intimidating. After completing this course, I feel more confident, outgoing, and comfortable speaking with strangers. I developed closer relationships with my classmates and gained a stronger sense of independence. Because of this experience, I now feel motivated to continue traveling and learning from different cultures, knowing that I have the skills to adapt.”
— Britney Cabrera Montes
“I entered the course without knowing the map of Asia. I completed the course having gained a deeper understanding of Southeast Asian economies and culture, along with a refined skill set that left me feeling more competent to navigate the world of International Business. My conversations with locals left me with a newfound gratitude that this opportunity is available to students like you and I at CSULB.”
— Maxfield Robles
“The in-class readiness steps made my experience in Singapore more meaningful. It gave me confidence to interact with a new environment and new people. By immersing myself as fully as possible by using public transport and searching for local food spots, I was able to experience Singapore beyond the perspective of a tourist. Experiencing Singapore first-hand as a business student allowed me to translate my textbook knowledge into action and to observe how culture, government, and business expand in a global market.”
— Jeilyne Bautista
“While this was one of my harder courses, it was also the most fun. I never thought I would go to Singapore, let alone study abroad. Being able to learn in Singapore was a completely different experience, and the knowledge I gained there has truly stayed with me. I feel like I was able to get a glimpse of what life is like living in Singapore, and I definitely want to go back.”
— Sophia Malvar
“This course was never just an academic requirement. It was an opportunity to experience international business as a living system rather than a textbook concept. Seeing how policy, culture, efficiency, and people intersect in Singapore has fundamentally reshaped how I view business, leadership, my position in the global economy, and my own goals. The highs were eye-opening; experiencing things I have never imagined and making friends while I do so. The lows were demanding and humbling, and together they made this course one of the most impactful educational experiences of my life. I am forever grateful for this opportunity to explore the world and its people and will forever be a different person because of it.”
— Andrew Dutile
“IB494 was one of the most impactful courses of my college career. This course went beyond traditional classroom learning where theory, research, and experience culminated into a real-life experience. This experience deepened my understanding of international business and helped me better understand my own strengths as a learner. IB494 challenged me academically, broadened my global perspective, and provided an experience that will influence how I approach my career long after graduation.”
— Andrew Davis
“I can not explain how much this study abroad has changed my perspective on the world. It has taught me how interconnected we all are, through business, culture, and what we consume. I have had the opportunity to grow professionally during my study abroad and to build my academic confidence. While it may be nerve-racking for students who have never been out of the country, such as myself, you come out of it with a desire to continue learning and exploring the rest of the world.”
— Brenda Sandoval Estrada
“Being able to study the country throughout the semester and then actually see everything in person made the course feel meaningful and memorable. As an international business major, having that kind of international exposure felt both exciting and valuable. The experience helped me become more culturally aware and better prepared to navigate the real world beyond the classroom.”
— Laleen Kuoch
