Blog
When Gillian Anderson (’24 agricultural and rural policy studies, international agriculture) received an email revealing the details of an extraordinary opportunity, she thought it was unattainable, so she deleted it. Fortunately, a follow-up conversation with Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice assistant teaching professor and advisor Ramesh Balayar gave Anderson the confidence to take a second look. She is grateful she did because during the summer of 2023, Anderson was living in Rome, Italy, collaborating with a United Nations organization that combats food insecurity.
The experience, made possible through the Dean’s Global Agriculture and Food Leadership Program, is administered through Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. It gives students the chance to gain valuable skills and knowledge related to global agricultural production, resources, and food issues. Students conduct coursework on campus during spring semester before spending the first month of summer break in Rome, working directly with United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) professionals.
Abe Dieleman, a sophomore in agronomy, is spending the spring semester studying at Perrotis College, part of the American Farm School, in Thessaloniki, Greece. Dieleman is part of a group of 12 students participating in the ISU CALS Study Abroad program, which also includes fellow agronomy student Nali Sanchez Carmona.
AMES, Iowa – Many Iowa State University students studying agribusiness have seen a harvest hauled to market. Far fewer have witnessed what happens next.
“Even if you’re familiar with the business side of farming, it’s not apparent where crops go. You dump a load at the local co-op elevator, and it’s just gone. But it’s not just marketing. Grain physically needs to go somewhere,” said Bobby Martens, associate professor of economics and the Iowa Institute of Cooperatives Endowed Economics Professor.
A group of Iowa State students recently got a firsthand look at the path soybeans can take after they leave the elevator as part of an experiential course studying agricultural supply chains, a class centered in its inaugural year around a weeklong trip that stretched from processing and fuel plants in Iowa and Minnesota to ports in the Pacific Northwest.
When you think about taking an ethics class, how do you picture it? Are you in the middle of the woods, sitting around a campfire, discussing the writings of environmental authors like Wallace Stegner or Sigurd Olsen? In Shawn Dorius’ SOC 234: Conservation Ethics & Values class, that’s exactly what your classroom looks like.
During the two-week summer session, students get an up close and personal view of the history of conservation in America and contrast conservation in the Midwest and Mountain West. Using the Rod & Connie French Conservation Education Camp as a home base, students in this Study USA field course travel all over the state of Montana and the surrounding region.
Emily Kihlstrom, a junior in agronomy, took part in a CALS travel course to India from December 29 to January 15. Participants were able to learn first-hand about India’s different crops (vegetables, coconut, banana, tea, coffee, rice, rubber, cashew, spices, pineapple, etc.) and production techniques. Students had the opportunity to visit regional vegetable, spice, and flower markets and interact with students at the Kerala Agricultural University.
Logan Schmitt
February 13, 2024 2:20 PM
In just his second year co-leading the Food, Culture, and Agriculture in Greece & Italy program, Dr. David Acker, Associate Dean for Global Engagement and Professor in Agriculture Education, has successfully curated one of the most sought-after travel courses alongside Dr. Sotirios Archontoulis. Their combined expertise in the Mediterranean countries offers students a comprehensive learning experience focusing on the production, distribution, marketing, and regulations associated with the food system while exploring farms and various cultural sights.
The Study Abroad Center would like to congratulate the six recipients of the Gilman International Scholarship for the October 2023 cycle.
Logan Schmitt
January 13, 2024 2:37 PM
I never thought that I would eventually end up being at Iowa State University teaching or advising students...but I feel that I am here for a purpose to motivate students not only to be successful academically but also to become global citizens.
By: Whitney Baxter
A junior studying Environmental Studies, International Agriculture, and Horticulture at Io
Marta Grant
October 25, 2023 9:48 AM
Are you hoping to study abroad and looking for ways to fund your program? Consider doing some personal fundraising by asking for sponsorships from individuals, groups, or businesses! Check out our two sample letters for ideas on how to write about your program and ask for funding.
How do food systems in Iowa and California compare to each other?
Marta Grant
August 9, 2023 8:16 AM
Studying abroad can be an exhilarating experience, full of trying new things, making new friends, and seeing the world.
Three undergraduate students – Madison Lenaerts, senior in global resource systems; Maclane Murrell, junior in nutritional science; and Sophia Parker, junior in global resource systems – spent the spring semester on the island of St. John in the U.S.
Congratulations to recent graduating seniors Nathan Behrends, Gracie Greiner, Sofia Fernandez, Amber Friedrichsen, Leah Mosher, and Turner Anderson as recipients of the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences CALS Council Senior Awards.
On May 15, 2022, I was fresh off my junior year of college and ready for an adventure. While some students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences started a summer internship, I was touching down just over 4,000 miles away from Ames.
Pages
