Getting a global perspective

Growing up on farms in both Tennessee and Iowa, Carolina Covington (global resource systems) always saw herself as a steward of the land and the surrounding resources. But it was only in learning Mandarin Chinese at Iowa State University that she realized that other places around the world might have similar environmental problems.

The global resources systems program allows students to select a region and language, and pair it with a technical area to be truly flexible and focused on areas of interest. Before graduating, all students complete an international internship in their chosen region of the world, an experience like none other.

At her internship, Caroline worked in a genetics laboratory at Nanjing Agriculture University in China to learn about agricultural and environmental practices and policies. While there, she learned from local farmers that one problem is the result of many other issues.