College of Agricultural and Life Sciences student Melody Gladders spent several months completing an internship in Kyrgyzstan with a non-profit organization designed to help teach the local community about modern agricultural practices. Through her internship, she utilized her animal sciences major while working with animal genetics, artificial insemination, and animal husbandry, in addition to some work outside her major assisting in gardening, harvesting, and producing crops on a small-scale farm.

Gladders said her major in CALS provided her with the necessary background knowledge to complete tasks associated with her internship. She was excited to learn more about genetics and artificial insemination practices in Kyrgyzstan, considering the technology available there is not the same in the United States. Gladders was thrilled to have the internship experience abroad. While it has been “very different,” she said she learned a lot from the people and culture. Some of the teaching and animal practices would be considered unconventional to someone visiting from the United States, but Gladders said she had fun and is expanding her knowledge in ways she didn’t expect. Her employers have been dedicated to her growth and facilitated deeper thinking for her while she assisted the local Kyrgyz people’s learning and growth.

“There is such a need for talented and knowledgeable agriculture students overseas; the people here do not have access to all of the knowledge and education about livestock and agricultural practices.” – Melody Gladders

The Department of Animal Sciences faculty integrate available modern technologies with personal expertise and attention to the needs of students and their industry, creating new solutions to tomorrow’s problems. For more information about career planning and assistance in preparing to secure an internship of your own, visit the CALS Career Planning webpage.

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