Kaylee Kleitsch

Student posing for a picture in Uganda
Major: 
Master's Degree in Sustainable Agriculture
Program: 
Next Generation Institute: Designing and Managing Sustainable Rural Livelihood Programs
Scholarship Award: 
Jay and Julie Cornelius Jacobi Scholarship for Agricultural Study Abroad
If you're interested in traveling, do it! I was nervous about applying for my first trip, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made. 

How did you learn about your study abroad program?  

My undergraduate advisor, Ramesh, nominated me!  

 

Why did you choose to participate in the study abroad program?   

I had amazing experiences traveling with ISU during my undergrad, so I was very excited when I was nominated to attend this institute. This was also a much different format than all of my other experiences abroad, so that was appealing from the professional development side of things.  

 

Have you traveled internationally before studying abroad?  

I had never traveled internationally before coming to ISU, but once I got here I was bit by the travel bug. I was a part of travel courses to Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Australia before going to Uganda. I'm preparing to go to Nepal at the end of March. I love traveling now and I plan to continue having international adventures after I graduate.  

 

Do you think your experience benefited you personally, professionally, or academically?  

My time in Uganda benefited me personally and professionally. Personally, I was able to meet some amazing new people from around the world that I'm happy to call my friends. Living and working alongside them for two week was such an amazing opportunity, and I plan on keeping in contact with many of the other attendees as time goes on. I was also exposed to so many new things, shifting my worldview in many ways. Professionally, we listened to presentations about what sustainable rural livelihoods are, how to raise money, how to prepare a budget, manage a program, design projects, implement the logical framework model, local culture and cultural considerations when designing a program, influences of gender and gender roles, and how to best work in a team comprised of different personalities and experiences. We were also placed into groups to come up with out own NGO models, giving us the opportunity to put everything that we had learned into practice.  

 

What advice would you give to students interested in one of your programs or study abroad in general?  

If you're interested in traveling, do it! I was nervous about applying for my first trip, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made.