Gabby Hackley

Gabby Hackley, an agronomy and international agriculture senior, has always wanted to study abroad but wasn’t sure it would fit into her schedule.

“As a transfer student, I didn’t think I would have the flexibility to study abroad, but I found out that was not the case and have now participated in two study abroad programs and two Study USA domestic travel courses.”

Gabby participated in the Agriculture & History of the Mississippi Delta and Field to Fork on the Prairie domestic travel courses and traveled internationally on the Soils, Agriculture & the Environment of Uruguay and Business Development Study Trip in Brazil Argentina faculty-led travel courses.

The four programs that Gabby participated in allowed her to compare and contrast agriculture and cropping systems in different environments.

“Participating in the two Study USA programs allowed me to better understand the different crops grown in the United States and exposed me to the different production journeys through the U.S. supply chain.”

Another unique aspect of the Agriculture & History of the Mississippi Delta domestic travel course was that the group was highly immersed in the history and culture of the Mississippi Delta as the students from Iowa State traveled with students from Langston University, Oklahoma’s only historically black college or university, where the students from both schools were able to interact and engage through in service learning and youth development activities.

Gabby also appreciated that she could apply for study abroad programs tailored to her specific interest and area of study, especially the Business Development Study Trip in Brazil and Argentina. The Brazil and Argentina trip through Start Something focused on carbon sequestration and carbon markets in Brazil, Argentina, and the United States, which is Gabby's specific focus and interest.

“I am glad that I decided to participate in the program because it not only allowed me to learn more about my interest in sustainability and carbon markets, but I was also able to network with industry professionals through the international travel and on-campus component of the course. This opportunity will help me as I apply for jobs in the industry.”

While participating in four different travel courses through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Study Abroad may seem like a financial burden, Gabby credits the ability to apply for scholarships that immensely helped relieve the cost of studying abroad. “I would encourage all students interested in studying abroad to apply for scholarships through their department and college, as these scholarships helped cover a lot of the program cost and allowed me to travel to three different international countries and numerous states in the U.S.”

As Gabby prepares to pack her bags for another study abroad trip over spring break to Costa Rica, she would encourage all students interested in studying abroad to reach out to the CALS Study Abroad office to research and find programs that align with their interests.