2006 Request for Applications: United States - Mexico TIES Initiative
Higher Education for Development (HED), in cooperation with USAID/Mexico, is issuing this call for Applications for the U.S. - Mexico Training, Internships, Exchanges, and Scholarships (TIES) Partnership Initiative. For this RFA, HED anticipates recommending approximately ten (10) awards of up to $300,000 each, incrementally funded at $100,000 per year over a three-year period, contingent on USAID funding. Applications must address one the following sectors: economic development and competitiveness; environment; rural, small producers; democracy; and health. Successful applicant institutions will typically propose at least seven or more long-term (two academic semesters) scholarships for Mexicans to be embedded within a partnership, in addition to other training, internships,
and exchanges.

The deadline for receipt of applications is June 2, 2006, 5:00 p.m. EDT.

The RFA is available on HED's website: www.HEDprogram.org

Faculty/Students Participate in Spring Break Travel Courses

The following Ag Study Abroad Travel Courses will take place during Spring Break:

 

Program/Department	Group Leader(s)	Dates	Participants
Argentina/Ag Business	Ebby Luvaga Sergio Lence	March 9-20, 2006	21 students/2 group leaders
Brazil/ABE	Brian Steward	March 8-21, 2006	5 students/1 group leader
Costa Rica/NREM	Jim Pease Jim Dinsmore	March 10-20, 2006	15 students/2 group leaders
Costa Rica/Agronomy	Randy Killorn Lee Burras	March 9-17, 2006	11 students/2 group leaders
Honduras/Biology	Don Sakaguchi Ed Powell	March 11-18, 2006	11 students/2 group leaders
Uruguay	Charles Brummer Valentin Picasso Gretchen Zdorkowski	March 10-20, 2006	13 students/3 group leaders

 

Looking For a Few Good Students
The Student Travel Consultant Program (STC), a recruiting campaign organized by the Agriculture Study Abroad office, gives returning study abroad students the opportunity to share their experience and new found knowledge about travel with their peers in the College of Agriculture. In its second year, the STC program allows the Agricultural Study Abroad office to increase students' participation in studying abroad through the enthusiasm and interest of returned study abroad students. STCs work one-on-one with their peers who have never studied abroad, helping them gain a better understanding of the opportunities, the importance, and the impact of international education. The Agriculture Study Abroad office is now hiring STCs for the 2006/07 academic year. Please contact Difei Shen at dfshen@iastate.edu if you know any students who love talking about their international experience and would be a good role model for future study abroad participants.

There and Back - Reflections of ISU World Adventurers
"There and Back --- Reflections of ISU World Adventurers" is a new Agricultural Study Abroad Contest initiated by the Agricultural Study Abroad office this semester. The main focus of this program is to have returned students (College of Ag or on College of Ag programs) design some project to reflect and share their study abroad experiences with other students. Projects can be entered into the contest as a group or individual and can include film, photography, theatre, poetry, writing, etc. Prizes are worth at least $500 for each entry. Questions can be directed to Difei Shen at dfshen@iastate.edu.

Summer Study Abroad Programs with Applicant Openings
Three summer study abroad programs are still open to more applicants. Programs vary in length and price but all meet students' international perspectives requirements. Interested students should stop by the Agriculture Study Abroad Office, 111 Curtiss Hall or email agsao@iastate.edu for more information.

Culture, Development, Agriculture and Nature Resources in China and/or South Korea, NREM 496, 3 to 5 credits, lead by Dick Schultz, Joe Colletti, Denise Bjelland and Difei Shen. This 5-week program covers 2 countries in east Asia, China and South Korea, with 16 days in each country. Students who participate in the full 5-week program will have an opportunity to compare two countries in the same geographic area that have taken different political and economic paths. Students who cannot participate in the full program may choose to participate in a 16-day program in one of the 2 countries. The trip to China will focus on features of rural China, including population (villages and towns), poverty alleviation, rural enterprises, natural resource management, rural industries, and history/culture. The trip to South Korea will introduce students to issues in natural resource management, agriculture and culture of South Korea through field trips and hands-on opportunities.

Agro-Ecology of Brazil, A Trans-Amazonian Perspective, NREM 496/596, 3 credits, lead by Jim Pease and Susan Silveira. To offer a better understanding of the resources and constraints on northern and northeastern Brazil's ecosystems, students will explore the different ecological zones of north and northeast Brazil from the endangered Atlantic Rainforest, to agriculture in the dry plateau region, to a boat trip down the Amazon. Students will learn about the culture, agriculture and ecosystems of Brazil and will gain a better understanding of agriculture in several very unique ecosystems while learning about methods of sustainable and not-so-sustainable agricultural systems. There will be opportunities to meet Brazilian students studying the same subjects and discuss/compare environmental problems and solutions in their home settings.

Exploring Ecosystem Exploitation, Degradation, and its Restitution in Southern and Northern Ghana, AGRON 496, 3 credits, lead by Andrew Manu, Al Hasselman, and Mary DeBaca. Students will explore ecosystem, history, and culture of southern Ghana. They will carry out projects to study the role of indigenous technologies to promote agriculture sustainability and environmental integrity. They will continue with database establishment on soil and water quality of Ghana that was started during the student group program in 2005. Students will investigate the history and cultural diversity in 4 major regions of Ghana and visits include Aburi Botanical Gardens, Cape Coast and Elmina Slave Castles, a canopy walk in Kakum Nature Park, Nzulezu - a village built entirely on stilts in the middle of a lake, Fiema Buabeng Monkey Sanctuary and University of Ghana.