In the last CFAES Connect, we asked alums to share their memories of educational abroad opportunities. A couple of great stories were submitted!
Amanda Folck received her BS in Sustainable Plant Systems: Turfgrass Science in 2017. Her internship abroad has led to an amazing career.
I had the opportunity to intern with the Arsenal Football Club at their practice field in London Colney, Hertfordshire, England my senior year. Early in my college career, I thought I wanted to become a nurse or have a career in sports medicine. I grew up on a strawberry farm though and played several sports in high school. This combination of experience led me to a career in turfgrass, and my internship opened up huge doors for me. While working in England, I learned a great deal and met incredible industry professionals. The spring following my internship, I received the Gary Vanden Berg Internship Grant from the Sportsturf Managers Association - I was the first woman to be awarded this grant. This honor led to meeting Craig Potts and a job offer to be an athletics groundskeeper at Texas A & M overseeing their womens soccer fields in addition to other athletic grounds. Some wondered if I could handle the Texas environment, and I tell them that it's a lot like my work in England - people just talk with a different accent!
Margo Freed, a 2012 Agricultural Business alum, spent a year abroad in Japan.
I spent a year abroad teaching English in Yokohama, Japan. It was a great experience and it really helped me learn how to teach people, improve my Japanese, adapt to a different culture, and give me more confidence to travel other places. My favorite part of the year was hiking Mt. Fuji in late summer. I also enjoyed participating in the school activities with my students such as Sports Day, the School Bazaar, Chorus Festival, and more. I highly recommend anyone go abroad whether it’s for school or work. I’m hoping to work abroad again in a few years.
CFAES students are tomorrow's leaders and scientists. A global perspective better prepares them for that role. A gift to the CFAES Study Abroad Fund will send a CFAES student somewhere internationally to learn more about the world and his or her role in it.