Humphreys grant knows no borders

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

What started with just nine students in 2008 has produced 85 graduates and another 60 currently enrolled. Oklahoma State University’s Master of International Agriculture Program (MIAP) has had a more-than-successful takeoff, due in part to The Donald and Cathy Humphreys Student Abroad Endowed Scholarship.

“The Humphreys Chair Grants were established to offer students with demonstrated academic scholarship, the opportunity to conduct long-term (eight weeks or longer) study abroad experiences,” said Shida Henneberry, MIAP director and Humphreys Endowed Chair. “One of the goals of the grant is to improve food security in developing nations. The Humphreys family has really elevated our possibilities here at OSU.”

Seven students donned the title of Humphreys Scholar during summer and fall 2013, which is open to OSU undergraduate and graduate students participating in credit-bearing programs and activities outside the United States.

One of those graduate students was Jordan Davis, who went to Swaziland and South Africa for nine weeks this summer.

“During my time there, I worked on a farm, at a children’s home, with various aid groups and even visited many cities in the region, giving me a lot of diverse cultural experiences,” Davis said. “While at the farm and children’s home, I worked on various projects that included anything from carpentry and welding to working on tissue cultures in the farm’s lab.”

Josh Campbell and Chad Ward took their internships in New Zealand to study the diversity of agriculture in the small island country. Briana Sallee taught English classes to freshmen girls who were struggling with the language at Haramaya University in Ethiopia.

Caroline Bremer lived in Argentina for five months to learn Spanish, engage with agriculturalists, understand the country’s economic challenges and interact with her future employer.

Jose Grados studied abroad in France, where he took engineering courses through Polytech Montpellier University. Sarah Hart interned with Watoto Child Care Ministry’s Agricultural Sustainability department in Uganda. The Watoto Agriculture project is cosponsored by the Sam Roberts Noble foundation in Ardmore.

While these students receive a great amount of education while overseas, perhaps the most memorable experiences are those which open their eyes to the cultural differences in other nations.

“Our students come back with a whole new outlook on the world,” Henneberry said. “They develop relationships with the people in the towns they visit and look forward to making return trips to check in. While in MIAP, students can have a lasting impact through their international experiences. Making a difference while you are a student is one of the main attraction points to our program.”