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Cowboys go global
By Stacy Sexton, Konawa, Okla.
photos
If you dream of traveling to Italy, Brazil or China to study, explore or shop, now it is easier than ever through the Oklahoma State University College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources study abroad program.
CASNR faculty and staff are encouraging all students to participate in an international experience prior to graduating from OSU and strive to one day have 100 percent participation from CASNR students.
"The only way to understand or change the world is to go out in it," said James Leising, CASNR assistant director of international agricultural programs.
To assist students, OSU and CASNR have increased scholarships for study abroad experiences and continue to search for additional financial support, Leising said.
Participating in a study abroad program is cheaper than traveling independently, said Joe Schatzer, agricultural economics professor who has coordinated multiple study abroad trips.
With the increase in financial help, the number of students participating continues to rise, nearly doubling from 69 in 2006 to 134 in 2008.
Scholarships have helped fuel this growth. During the 2007-2008 school year, OSU offered more than $329,000 in study abroad scholarships.
When traveling with OSU, students pay for tuition, airfare and trip fees. For example, the 2008 England trip cost students approximately $600 for tuition, $725 for airfare and $2,850 for in-country expenses (housing, transportation, breakfasts and admission fees). Students must provide extra money for remaining meals, souvenirs and other personal expenses.
"The costs of these trips can vary a great deal based on the type of housing and time of year," said Dwayne Cartmell, agricultural communications associate professor. "We make sure we put students in a safe environment."
During some study abroad courses, students stay in hotels; in other courses, such as Costa Rica and Thailand, students stay with local families.
"Students were assigned to stay in the homes of different families in the city of Atenas," said Alisha Preno, animal science freshman. "Allison Brim and I stayed with a family of five and quickly learned that none of the family spoke any English, and although it was a challenge, we always seemed to find a way to communicate."
For those who want to learn a new language, CASNR offers a six-week Spanish immersion program at the Universidad Popular Autonoma del Estado de Puebla in Puebla, Mexico, which is about 2 1/2 hours southeast of Mexico City. On last year's trip, students from the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University, the University of Dallas and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte joined 10 OSU students.
"On a daily basis, we attended Spanish classes in the mornings at the university," said Brianna Jett, agricultural economics junior. "In the afternoons, we took tours of historical sites and museums in the city, played sports, and took cooking and dance classes."
A unique advantage of the CASNR trips is getting to see how other countries farm, work and play — an experience the everyday tourist would not get, said David Henneberry, director of international agricultural programs.
"During the final week of our stay, we toured different agricultural sites near Puebla," Jett said. "We saw a plant nursery, a dairy, a fighting bull ranch and large-scale chicken production. It was a very eye-opening experience to see the different aspects of Mexican agriculture and how it compares to agriculture in the United States."
Henneberry said one of the main purposes of these courses is "to show the agriculture students the real agriculture of Italy and the real agriculture of Mexico."
"Anyone can go to these places and see the tourist sites," he said, "but with the OSU program, you get to go off the beaten path and see these places like no one else."
"It is important for Americans to understand other countries and how they produce food and other agricultural products," Henneberry said.
If you are a new student at OSU, expect to see Henneberry or a former study abroad student visit one of your classes to talk about the wonderful and exciting adventures on the study abroad courses.
"Half of everything agriculturally produced in the United States gets exported," Leising said. "If we can understand how other cultures produce and operate in relation to us, we can make ourselves better."
While abroad, you do not have to worry about getting lost because you have a guide to help you. You also will have classmates and instructors with you throughout the trip. These courses are a great way to get to know your fellow students and faculty and to create a unique bond.
Eli Parr, an agricultural education junior, participated in the Spanish immersion program.
"Every student should go on a study abroad program," Parr said. "They will know the feeling of not being able to describe all of the excitement and joy they experienced."
Study abroad students visited nature's cascades while on the CASNR Spanish immersion program in Puebla, Mexico.
Above: International Agricultural Economics Tour participants visit the Eiffel Tower.
Above: Street signs in Puebla, Mexico, guide CASNR students toward their next adventure.