This summer, 12 Azusa Pacific University students embarked on the journey of a lifetime where they visited six countries in Europe over four weeks as part of the School of Business and Management’s annual Lapeu trip. The trip was led by faculty advisors Mark Wm Cawman, DBA, chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, and Ismael Lopez Medel, PhD, chair of the Department of Digital and Strategic Marketing. The trip was filled with plenty of sightseeing in some of Europe’s most beautiful places, and was highlighted by classes where students got to apply their learning through visits to several international agencies and top companies. The trip served as inspiration for students as they prepare for their careers after graduation.
The first half of the Lapeu trip was led by Cawman and began in Hamburg, Germany. Hamburg was highlighted by the Aerospace Interior Expo, a massive trade show where students connected with representatives from numerous companies while learning more about the industry. After the expo, the group took a train to Wörth am Rhein where they had the opportunity to visit the Mercedes-Benz truck factory. Senior international business major Julian Orozco ’24 thoroughly enjoyed this visit. “It was awesome to see their whole building process, from the assembly of small parts to the huge trucks coming out of the factory,” he said.
The group next traveled to Munich and toured the city. For senior business management major Ciera Sheffey ’25, the next day was a special part of the trip, as the group took a day excursion to Salzburg, Austria. “I’m an artist and a musician. Salzburg is not only where one of my favorite movies, The Sound of Music, was filmed, it’s also where Mozart was born and developed all of his artistic talents,” Sheffey said. “It was amazing to see his house and museum. I loved the history there.”
After Salzburg, the students returned to Munich before flying to Cardiff, Wales, with a memorable visit to the 2,000-year-old Cardiff Castle on the first day. The second day in Wales featured a visit with ATL Technology, an industry leading medical technology engineering company. This visit was a part of the cornerstone project of the classes students took on the trip, where they presented their findings to the company’s board of directors.
“I was so honored that the board took the time to meet with us, a group of college students, and showed us respect while listening to the hard work we put into our project,” Sheffey said. “It’s a testament to the strong relationship that Dr. Cawman has built with the company. I learned so much from meeting with ATL.”
From Cardiff, the group traveled to Bath, England, and enjoyed touring the ancient Roman baths and learning about the history of the town’s wool industry. After Bath, the group traveled to Salisbury, where they got to see the stunning Salisbury Cathedral, home to the Magna Carta, one of the most important historic documents in the world. “I remember studying the Magna Carta in elementary school. Seeing it in person truly brought it to life,” Sheffey said. After the cathedral, the group visited Stonehenge, an ancient wonder of neolithic building, before traveling to the University of Oxford. Students toured the campus of the second oldest university in the world, where APU students study abroad each year. The first half of the Lapeu trip ended in London, where Medel took over and guided the rest of the expedition.
After London, the group flew to Madrid, Spain. Medel, a Spanish native, showed students around his home country. “Spain was my favorite country we visited. I loved seeing their intricate infrastructure,” Orozco said. “It was also particularly meaningful for me because I’m from a Spanish speaking country. I enjoyed seeing the resemblance between Spanish culture and my Latino culture.” In Madrid, students visited with The Cocktail Agency, an international marketing leader. The following days were highlighted by visits to three of the biggest art museums in Spain, the Sofia, the Prado, and the Thyssen Bornemisza; a tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid; and a cooking class where students learned how to make paella, a famous Spanish dish. Students got to select from several options for how to spend their final day in Madrid. Orozco decided to take a day trip to Toledo. “It was amazing! I loved seeing Toledo’s beautiful classic architecture.”
Following Madrid, the group traveled to Paris. They toured the city with visits to the Louvre and the Musse d’Orsay, two of the top art museums in the world, and Montmartre and the Sacré-Coeur, a stunning historic Catholic church which overlooks the entire city. The group’s time in France was also highlighted by a visit with Paris Strike, an award winning creative agency. “It was really impactful to hear from their leadership team about how their business is driven by passion,” Sheffey said. “I respect how they turn down projects if they don’t agree with the client’s ethics. I want to emulate that type of business integrity in the future.”
The final stop of the Lapeu trip was in Amsterdam. Perhaps the most culturally insightful country on the trip, the group took a bike tour of the city, before visiting the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Rijksmuseum (the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch art and history). Students also had the opportunity to visit with 180 Global, a pioneering international marketing agency.
For Orozco, the most impactful experience in Amsterdam was going to church at the fairy-tale-esque Vondelkerk. “Going to church in different countries brought my faith to a new level,” he said. “Even though some of the services were not in my language, I felt even more connected to God.” Sheffey also felt God revealing things to her throughout the journey.
“Before we left, I just knew I wanted to see the Lord’s glory,” Sheffey said. “I got to see God move through my conversations with people in different countries. The Holy Spirit went with me everywhere as I grew in my faith throughout the trip.”
As Sheffey and Orozco prepare for life after graduation, they are grateful for the impact the Lapeu trip had on their career aspirations. “The trip provided me tools to grow in international competence and understanding. I'm very thankful and excited to apply this knowledge in all of my future career endeavors,” Sheffey said. Orozco echoed this, describing how he wants to work for an international business. “Seeing the diverse backgrounds of the agencies we visited with and how they operate with their clients inspired me for my future career,” he said. Orozco also enjoyed what he learned in his classes before, during, and after the trip. Reflecting on the experience, he is most grateful for the connections he was able to make. “Prior to the trip, I didn’t really know anyone that I was traveling with, but we spent so much time together that I was able to get to know them really well. I’m excited to have built long lasting relationships with them.”