Studying abroad was a great opportunity to expand my horizons!
Why did you choose to participate in these study abroad programs? Studying abroad was a great opportunity to expand my horizons! All of these trips had an agricultural emphasis that would allow me to learn about production in differing parts of the world. The Netherlands focused on production systems and new innovative technology while also focusing on balancing emissions and the consumers wants in production. The Vets Without Borders trip with the VIDA organization to Costa Rica worked in rural communities with limited resources. During this, we performed many spays and neuters on a multitude of cats and dogs with limited resources. All of these taught me the importance of innovation and conservation to promote new advancements in sustainability and development.
Tell us more about your experience at Chitale Dairy in India. The Chitale Dairy mini internship was a great way to learn about the dairy industry in a developing country, including food processing, production, and transportation of milk. Additionally, the production systems within India, these include Saudi barns as well as the use of water buffalo in their herd. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, visiting facilities like the ABS Global Bull and semen processing facility, unique temples, water buffalo production, food processing facilities, veterinary lab, and pregnancy checks on water buffalo and cows. This was a great way to learn about how this company has progressed with less progressive technology than in the United States. We visited farms in the surrounding area that provide milk to Chitale Dairy and learned how milk is stored in cooling stations until milk trucks bring it to their processing facility.
Have you traveled internationally before studying abroad? I had travelled very few times out of the Midwest, but the greatest piece of advice I was given was to travel in college while you have the opportunity because it’s rare to have great experiences like the ones within all of these trips abroad. The study abroad program has so many programs packed with events and opportunities!
Most memorable experience? My most memorable experience in India was assisting surgeons to empty the rumen to allow space to find the debris lingering in the reticulum. Additionally, I was able to pregnancy check water buffalo and learned about the challenges they have reproductively in comparison to cows
Have scholarships impacted your decision to study abroad? The study abroad office offers a wide variety of scholarships to assist with the costs of these programs because they are so valuable to those who are the future of agriculture!