Global experiences prepare College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students for the modern workforce
International opportunities open new doors and pathways for students after graduation.
A group photo of the Study Abroad South Africa at Radley Estate, a citrus, mango, and sugar cane farm outside Malelane, South Africa. Photo by Will Rizzo for Virginia Tech
For Megan Pollok ’24, study abroad experiences are far more than taking courses in another country.
They can give students clarity on their career and what lies beyond.
Pollok’s first international experience came from a study abroad in Australia, where she and her classmates learned about agricultural production systems in another country.
But then the chance for service-learning opportunity arose in South Africa that focused on food security in the country.
“Being involved in international development work was something I had never experienced before,” said Pollok, from Danville, Virginia. “This experience really gave me the final push to decide that this is what I want to do, and that I want to continue working in this field as a career.”
Experiences such as these are crucial for students to develop cross-cultural skills and understanding, exposing them to diverse ways of living, new foods, and ways to work together across cultural divides to tackle challenges affecting the quality of life globally.
“International experiences, especially ones that support students' travel expenses, give them a competitive advantage in the workforce, help them to become more well-rounded individuals, and give them an opportunity to experience the incredible food, environments, and cultures that the world has to offer,” said Jessica Agnew, associate director of CALS Global in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Opportunities for students to work on projects internationally help prepare them for the workforce by developing their skills and testing their classroom-acquired knowledge in a real-world environment.”
Agnew, who helped lead one such experience in Cambodia that brought students and faculty to support the country’s journey to national rice fortification with the World Food Programme Cambodia office, saw firsthand how the experience helped prepare students.
“They invested a lot of time preparing and did what was needed of them in regard to research before the trip,” she said. “Once in Cambodia, they not only had the opportunity to experience the importance of seeing the realities of scientific data but got to practice skills such as conversing with high-level professionals and cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity.”
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences enables students and faculty to travel to experiences such as
- Salute: Food and Health in Switzerland
- Study Abroad Namibia: Exploring Food Security, Desert Agriculture, Wildlife, Culture and Landscape
- Practical and Theoretical Brewing Program at TUM Weihenstephan in Germany
- Applications of Kinesiology and Sport Science in Ireland
- Ecuador: Environment, Health, and Culture
- Study Abroad South Africa - Connect and Serve Communities Abroad
Pollok, who participated in the Study Abroad South Africa, had a variety of experiences that helped her chart her path. She also traveled to Ghana in March to help build a community garden that served as a precursor to post-graduation experiences.
With her bachelor’s degree in crop and soil sciences in hand, Pollok will head to Ghana on a prestigious fellowship from the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program this fall. The program, founded in partnership with AgriCorps and hosted at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service.
Over the next year, Pollok will teach agriculture to rural Ghanaian students, lead a school-based 4-H club, and work with students and community members to support the growth of sustainable food development and agricultural education.
Her experience on the Study Abroad South Africa trip was the final push needed to set her down this path.
“When you're getting an international experience, you're getting to understand different types of cultures and experiences, and especially for our college, a completely different perspective on the agricultural or life sciences process,” Pollok said. “Every study abroad experience that I've been on has been very well put together and organized with a distinct purpose. Every student that I've attended one of these trips with has developed skills and gained experiences that they wouldn't otherwise have been able to have.”
For more information on study abroad or service-learning opportunities, visit the Global Opportunities for Students webpage.
