Sophia Hortin, freshman, Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications 

Home FFA Chapter: Fischer FFA Chapter in Fischer, IL

SAE's: Swine Production; Diversified Crop Production 

Leadership Roles: State President 

Jonathan Poole, undergrad, Food Science and Human Nutrition

Home FFA Chapter: Chicago Ag Sciences

SAE’s: Food Science & Technology - Conducting various research projects related to food science; Borlaug-Ruan International Internship at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico

Leadership Roles: Chapter Treasurer; Served on the Section 8 team for 2 years 

This past week in ACES 399, Dr. Prasanta Kalita, professor in the Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, spoke to our class about societal challenges. Dr. Kalita’s presentation began with a short discussion of the four most significant challenges society faces, as stated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Those challenges include food and water security; saving lives at birth; all children reading; and making all voices count.

This past week during my ACES 399 seminar, Dr. Cory Suski, professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, came in to talk about challenges in aquatic ecosystems and conservation. Prior to this talk, I had known very little about wetland ecosystems, as I have always had access to clean water. I knew that there was only about 3% of freshwater on Earth, but didn’t realize the ways it was distributed. I assumed that there was only one way to quantify the benefits of the environment, when in reality there are multiple.

In May 2018, I had the opportunity to travel to Italy for twelve days on a study tour organized by Dr. David Rosch. This trip, designed for students in the ALEC major and Leadership Studies minor, allowed us to explore the history and philosophy behind the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

In the summer of 2019, I was offered the opportunity to study abroad with the College of ACES in Thessaloniki, Greece. Not only did we get to travel the country and see the sights, but we discussed many topics, such as the differences between Greek and American habits.

There were several guest speakers that spoke on topics such as medicinal herbs, olive oil, and the Mediterranean lifestyle and diet. I got first-hand experience of different types of cooking, the culture of a European country, and more!

 I'm currently a Junior in Hospitality Management. The summer of my freshman year, I went to France for a study abroad program to learn about winemaking. I attended classes with students from around the world, participated in wine tasting sessions, and interned on a vineyard! One of the great things about the program is that they take us on many excursions. Throughout my two months abroad, I traveled to Barcelona, Bordeaux, and many cities in between!

During the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, where I had the opportunity to be a play volunteer at Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

My name is Meghan and I am a Senior in NRES with a concentration in Fish and Wildlife conservation. Over winter break in 2018-2019, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Tanzania. This trip was guided by Wildtrax’s explorations and they focused on human-wildlife conservation management. I chose this program because I wanted to see and explore Africa. I also wanted to learn more about their human-wildlife dynamics as they differ greatly from the wildlife conflicts we have here in the United States, as well as how they manage them. 

My name is Anna Vrioni, and I am a senior in NRES with a concentration in Fish and Wildlife Conservation. Last spring semester, I studied abroad with the School for Field Studies in Costa Rica at their Center for Sustainable Development Studies. It was an environmentally-focused program, so classes included topics like tropical ecology, natural resource management, tourism development, agriculture, and environmental ethics. I chose this program because I wanted to do a very hands-on, field-based program.