Organized through the university’s Business Management Program and sponsored by the Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship, BYU–Hawaii once again presented an Asia sourcing trip to business students as an opportunity to apply classroom learning in real-world global business environments and to travel through Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, and Korea.
Through factory visits, executive meetings, and trade fairs, students witnessed global logistics firsthand while learning the importance of personal and professional connections.
Purpose and Intentional Preparation
For Professor PJ Rogers, who teaches supply chain within business management, the trip was designed to immerse students directly within the industries they study.
“My original goal in designing this sourcing experience is that our students are able to see firsthand many of the things that they study in class,” Rogers explained. “They get to see, touch, feel, and hear from those professionals that they could one day either work for or become.”
Having led previous sourcing trips, Rogers described how the program gradually evolved into a more student-driven experience. While faculty coordinated logistics and corporate relationships, students were expected to research companies, facilitate discussions, and actively engage with executives throughout the trip.
That participation and preparation were taken seriously, as emphasized by Kristine Galang, a junior studying business management from the Philippines.
“Confidence comes from preparation,” said Galang, “Before our trip, we had meetings with the CEOs and employers of the companies we would visit, as well as presentations on how to better understand the culture of each country—we did our homework.”
Connecting to Culture
For entrepreneurship instructor Paul Wilson, who joined the sourcing trip for the first time this year, one of the most striking aspects was witnessing just how much responsibility students carried throughout the experience. While Rogers approached the trip with years of experience designing and leading the program, Wilson experienced it as a newcomer navigating the trip's intensity alongside students.
“Each student had a clear responsibility,” Wilson shared. “They handled their responsibilities with consistency and care...The students did an excellent job keeping the trip running smoothly.”
One example came from Mai Vo, whose role as a translator became both a practical responsibility and a personal experience. “I love translating for people because it helps me learn more about my culture while helping others,” Vo shared.
That role also carried a sense of responsibility as students represented both the university and themselves abroad. “I really wanted to make the trip more meaningful for my classmates and professors,” Vo explained. “I wanted the people we met to better understand the intentions of my classmates and professors as we represented the university.”
A Trip Beyond the Map
In the end, students and faculty alike described the sourcing trip as extending far beyond professional development.
For Galang, visiting the Canton Fair in China became one of the defining moments of the experience. “It was an eye-opening experience because I realized that a lot of people just like me can make it,” Galang shared. “All these companies started small and struggled… which means that I can also make it if I continue being consistent and prepare with hard work and diligence…The trip we had was a once-in-a-lifetime experience because it gave me so much perspective for my future career, as well as connections that I hope to maintain even after I graduate.”
Meanwhile, Vo reflected that one of the defining aspects of the trip was the awareness that students represented more than themselves. “The way we act and the way we talk to others is representing our school, as well as representing being a disciple of Jesus Christ,” Vo explained.
That perspective was reinforced through daily devotionals held throughout the trip. “One person consistently asked us, ‘What did the Lord do for you today?’” Vo recalled. “It reminded me why I was here, and to keep Him with me in all of my decisions, including my business decisions. God is involved in everything.”
Ultimately, this Asia sourcing trip became more than an opportunity to study international business. A shared lesson emerged: global business is not built solely on products and logistics, but also on people, preparation, and genuine human connection.