Notable: Jeremiah Cunningham Went the Distance to Earn His MBA

As part of our ongoing commitment to associate growth, we are proud to offer financial assistance to associates furthering their education. For Jeremiah Cunningham, Senior Project Manager of Construction, that support enabled him to earn an MBA from the University of St. Thomas in May 2025 and complete his final class in Bogotá, Colombia.

Eager to sharpen his business skills, Jeremiah began his MBA at St. Thomas’ Opus College of Business in January 2022. A key feature of the program, he said, is the flexibility to select half of the required credits from more than 50 business-focused electives.

“Core business classes accounted for half of my credits, but I focused my electives on project management,” he said. “Although I’ve been a project manager for 10 years, I believe there’s always more to learn and more value to bring to my clients.”

A highlight for Jeremiah was a new study abroad offering that lets students choose between taking a traditional global business course or spending 10 days in Colombia learning first-hand about the country’s coffee supply chain.

An avid traveler who has backpacked through 26 developing countries, Jeremiah said the choice was easy. “I’d heard great things about Colombia from friends and family, and it had been on my travel list for years. Plus, I love coffee!”

Students visited family-owned coffee farms, roasting plants, warehouses and an international shipping port, speaking with growers, community leaders and a local economist. The experience gave them a deep understanding of Colombia’s coffee industry – from the cultural pride behind each crop to the economic and environmental factors that shape production and export.

“I quickly saw parallels between Colombia’s coffee trade and Opus,” said Jeremiah. “While we operate in completely different industries, like Opus, Colombian growers are family businesses that emphasize quality over quantity and prioritize sustainability.”

His biggest takeaway was seeing supply chain logistics in action and realizing how every phase from sourcing to shipping can strengthen or strain the global economy, whether it involves coffee beans or construction materials.

“From my perspective, the majority of what you learn on a study abroad trip can’t be taught in a classroom or on the job,” Jeremiah said. “I can’t thank Opus enough for making it possible for me to pursue my MBA and to participate in this overseas program. I am a better, smarter, more aware project manager because of it.”