St. Edward’s University President Leads Delegation to Central America to Visit Panamanian Hilltoppers

AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward’s University President Montserrat Fuentes will travel this month to Panama City, Panama to engage with members of the Hilltopper family in Central America.

During her first international trip as president, Dr. Fuentes — along with Enrollment Management and Advancement Administration representatives — will visit numerous schools and meet with students, college counselors, alumni, donors and other supporters of St. Edward’s University.

“I am beyond excited for this opportunity to connect with our hilltop familia in Panama,” said President Fuentes. “I’m looking forward to strengthening our relationship with alumni in the area, as well as visiting with prospective students and families to share more about St. Edward’s University, which I hope will become their home away from home.”

The trip will convene a reception honoring our admitted students and alumni at the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo hotel. University officials anticipate this will be the largest gathering of St. Edward's alumni in Panama to date.

“With this trip we will celebrate our long history of Panamanian enrollment, honor our newly admitted students and visit local high schools to invite a new generation of students to discover what St. Edward's and Austin have to offer,” said David Bernay, Director of International Admission and Advancement.

St. Edward’s University has delivered higher education opportunities to Panamanians since the 1960s. There are currently 16 Panamanian students enrolled at St. Edward’s, and 77 living alumni in Panama with degrees in Business, Marketing, Communication and Economics.

In recent years, St. Edward’s has seen an increase in enrollment interest from Panama, including from the following high schools: Academia Interamericana de Panamá, Balboa Academy, Colegio Brader, El Colegio de Panamá and The International School of Panamá. 

About St. Edward’s University:

St. Edward’s University is a private university in the Catholic, Holy Cross tradition with approximately 3,600 students. Located in Austin, Texas, it is one of the top universities in the state and offers more than 55 undergraduate and 8 graduate programs. St. Edward’s delivers a premier, highly personalized education that provides students distinctive academics and extensive internships, research and service learning opportunities on a vibrant and inclusive hilltop campus in a world-class city.  St. Edward’s has been recognized for 20 consecutive years as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2022-2023 Best Colleges rankings, St. Edward’s remains in the list of top 10 Best Regional Universities in the West for the 4th consecutive year.