University of Minnesota Crookston students and faculty took their annual study abroad trip to France in May to learn about French agricultural production, processing and marketing systems, and ag policies, and took in some historical sights as well. Professor Harouna Maiga, Ph.D. and Instructor Terrill Bradford, M.Ed., and 15 Agriculture and Natural Resources students traveled May 5-20 to Rouen, Normandy, Paris, and other regions in France taking in museums and farms, and participating in working sessions with French and U.S. students.
Their itinerary included a visit to the port, city, and Cathedral of Rouen, Caen Memorial Museum and landing beaches of WWII, Haras national du Pin castle and horse stable, silos of Senalia grain terminal, Mont-Saint-Michel, Arpents du Soleil vineyard,Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, farm production high school, plus beef, sheep, dairy, crop, and aquaponic farms.
“This is one of the most rewarding aspects of my teaching at UMC and the most impactful experiential teaching on student learning,” Maiga shared. “Study Abroad trips broaden our students’ international, intercultural, and global perspectives on agricultural issues and should be a component of UMC academic culture.”
“Having the opportunity to study abroad opened my eyes to an entirely foreign world of agriculture, and it was definitely an experience I will never forget!” said recent graduate Kaitlyn Rux.
“The study abroad trip gave me the opportunity to learn about agriculture in another Country,” added recent graduate Katrina Kratzke. “I learned about many things that we don’t commonly see here in the US, from products such as linen to breeds of cattle like Blonde d’Aquitaine. I really enjoyed getting to see how much agriculture can vary between different countries!”
Categories
