Agricultural Sciences

First-gen students explore Costa Rica through College of Ag Sciences course

First-generation college students at Penn State traveled to Costa Rica as part of an embedded course, ERM 499: Costa Rica Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources.   Credit: Tammy Shannon / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Studying abroad can be a transformative experience. However, first-generation college students may face additional challenges and feel that international experiences are out of their reach. A course in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences was created to help first-gen students achieve their travel goals.

The one-week embedded course — ERM 499: Costa Rica Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources — allows students to spend spring break exploring the ecosystems and culture of Costa Rica and learn how conservation and community are intertwined.

The course is co-led by Robert Shannon, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering and program coordinator for the environmental resource management major, Derek James, coordinator of multicultural programs in the college, and Tammy Shannon, academic advising coordinator for the ERM major.

The course gives priority enrollment to current ERM students who are the first in their families to go to college. First-generation students enrolled in other majors in the college also may apply. All applicants must be attending the University Park campus in the spring semester.

Tammy Shannon, who was a first-gen student herself, explained that several factors prompted the development of the First in Family to Study Abroad course. “We knew the positive impacts study abroad has on student success, but we also realized only a small percentage of first-generation college students study globally,” she said.

Students in ERM 499 met in the fall semester to get to know one another and become familiar with the steps needed to prepare for travel. For most students, this included applying for passports.

“The ERM program is expanding its first-gen offering to include a first-year engagement course, ERM 197S,” Tammy Shannon said. “This course is open to first-generation students joining the college in the fall. We’re excited to engage and connect first-year, first-gen students to the college, University and world.”

Lilliean Anderson is a third-year ERM student from Hanover, Pennsylvania. “We were immersed in a new culture, met people who live completely different lives than us, tried food we would never get the opportunity to have in America,” she said. “I will surely miss their fresh fruits and juices.”

Over the week, the students hiked in conservation areas such as Rincón de la Vieja volcano, worked with a sea-turtle conservation nonprofit called Verdiazul, and visited cocoa farms and coffee plantations to learn more about sustainable approaches to farming. The students also explored the waterfalls and hot springs at the Sensoria Rainforest Experience.

Anderson advises students looking to travel abroad to go into the experience with an open mind. “If you’re ready to meet new people and make friends, you’ll find that there are others who share the same passions, interests and backgrounds as you,” she said. “Take in everything you get to experience.”

Ketja Lingenfelter, assistant director for student global engagement, said there are several funding options for qualified students and pointed to the college’s website as a resource.

“Education abroad experiences such as the FIFSA course are immensely impactful,” Lingenfelter said. “These programs allow students to develop on an international and intercultural level. They also improve important skills, including problem-solving, communication and responsibility. Although the University and college try to keep costs low and make scholarships for study abroad available, study abroad is too often still out of reach for many students.”

To help with study-abroad costs, college alumnus Terry Muth and his wife Adriana created a scholarship to fund students in ERM 499.

“We believe that study-abroad experiences provide a great opportunity to learn about and appreciate other cultures,” Terry Muth said. “They also provide academic and professional opportunities. Unfortunately, many students may not be financially able to do so. Hopefully, this scholarship will enable them to enhance their Penn State experience with a touch of study abroad. We congratulate all the recipients and wish them well.”

For more information, contact Tammy Shannon at tmb5352@psu.edu. To support the First in Family to Study Abroad program, visit www.raise.psu.edu/FIFSA.

With the record-breaking success of “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” which raised $2.2 billion from 2016 to 2022, philanthropy is helping to sustain the University’s tradition of education, research and service to communities across the commonwealth and around the globe. Scholarships enable our institution to open doors and welcome students from every background, support for transformative experiences allows our students and faculty to fulfill their vast potential for leadership, and gifts toward discovery and excellence help us to serve and impact the world we share. To learn more about the impact of giving and the continuing need for support, please visit the Raise website.

Last Updated April 21, 2023

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