Most students have an idea of FSU-Panama as a jumping point for other universities and that this opportunity is open only for people in an economic status that is better than good. But they do not know that the community in FSU-Panama is a soup of economic and social classes, religions and cultures that contribute to the social growth of individuals who are exposed to these different ways of thinking. Also that FSU-Panama is not only a place of transition but a branch which offers a variety of degrees taking as an advantage the current situation in Panama and offering the students a chance to fulfill their bachelor degrees in their homeland but using the U.S. higher education system and language therefore offering the best of both worlds.

     Programs like Computer Science, Social Science, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, and International Affairs date back to 1986, the days when part of Panama functioned as a U.S. colony. In those days the Canal Zone still functioned and U.S. citizens were given the chance to obtain a degree in Panama. After the departure of the last U.S. colonial bastion from Panama the university officials decided to implement and update the programs so that they could be continued. But they did not stop there, some of the departments in main campus and in FSU Panama saw the potential for the development of new programs in this campus and then the programs for Environmental Studies and Information Studies were developed with the coordination of the FSU Library and the Geology department in main campus.

     As a student of the Environmental Program in FSU Panama, one of the six programs meant to be completed in FSU Panama, I’m going to share my experience with you and give advice about how to face the issues you might encounter.

     “FSU-Panama currently grants degrees in six different undergraduate programs as well as a variety of courses for other majors” is what the FSU-Panama official web page states. If we go to the main office or to our mentor and ask about these degrees offered by the university the most common answer we hear is “Yes you can complete your degree here” but that is pretty much all the information you will get. We will not get inside information about what is good or bad about these degrees, how many students are currently enrolled, the current issues that these degrees are facing, or future plans that the university has toward these courses.

     The main office, whose job is to get students by advertising these degrees won’t openly tell you what issues you might be facing during the course of your studies seeking your degree in FSU Panama. The university officials won’t tell you about the ins and outs of your degree program because they probably feel that you are going to freak out about it and drop the program, in which case they will be losing students and therefore doing a horrible job as advertisers.

     On the other hand the information about the good, the bad and the ugly sides of these programs can be obtained from your peers. They will tell you everything they know about these programs including who is the professor teaching classes for these degrees and what classes you need and which you don’t. But for me what matters the most is that they will share their experience with you for free. You have to invest a little time getting to know them and listening to their stories which might help you avoid making the same mistakes they once made and as I know mistakes in this university system are costly in both money and time.

     For example, once you finish your liberal studies you find out that some of the courses you need are not offered in FSU-Panama because of different factors among which are that the class did not obtain a critical point (enough students to give the course) and it got cancelled, or, (the most common reason), there is no professor able to teach the course. These are serious issues because you might find yourself waiting for at least two semesters before taking the courses you need to fulfil your degree.

     Another problem you might encounter are the dreaded DL’s (distance learning courses) which are a true pain in the head if you are freshmen. Online courses are difficult courses not because of the class itself but because of the system. It is a great experience to take a DL but I personally faced a lot of frustration as I took one of these courses being a freshman… I could not have been less prepared for what I would encounter, however after a lot of hard work I managed to get a passing grade for the course. On my second round with an DL I found myself with a instructor who oriented his class toward a totally different geographical area from what I expected and my friends and I found ourselves really disappointed with the course and the instructor. I strongly recommend students that if they are to take DL courses they must follow two basic rules:

     1) Find out if you really need the course and read the Student Bulletin seeking for inside information about what the course is about.

     2) Never join a DL course alone… try to find out who else is in the course with you or get one of your friends to take it. Working in groups will prove to be very useful in order to get a good grade in DL.

     The good thing about seeking your degree in FSU Panama is the personalised treatment you receive because of our condition as a small campus. You are able to interact with the academic and administrative staff in such a way that you could get the best out of your learning experience, besides it feels good when you go to the main office, an instructor’s office or even the Vice-Rector’s or Rector’s offices and the people there know your name, degree and situation. This kind of experience is something that most students in U.S. universities do not get.

     Overall, getting a degree in FSU Panama is an excellent opportunity for students to get a U.S. university degree without leaving their homes. With some enthusiasm and initiative your can use the particularities in Panama to orient your degree toward the actual conditions that you and your countrymen are facing. Because of this situation you will find that you have a different perspective from a student graduating with the same degree in the U.S. However, good things do not come easily; you will face issues and you must be able to deal with because this is part of your learning experience... you must be tenacious in the search of your goals. Remember that the university is offering these degrees to be finished in FSU-Panama and they will do everything within their capacities to guarantee that you recieve your degree in FSU-Panama.


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The Editorials on this website are the opinions of the Editors and may not reflect the official policies of FSU-Tallahassee or FSU-Panama. Articles and columns are the expressed views of the authors and may not represent the opinions of the Editors or FSU-Panama.