New internship celebrates 25 years of Colorado State exchanges

The international exchange programme has been hugely beneficial for students of both institutions, offering a global perspective on their studies and immersing them in an entirely new culture.

The journey to Colorado State University (CSU) is about to become even more exciting due to the addition of a ranch-based US internship sponsored by AngusNZ.

Angus Percy and Nelson McKenzie are both well aware of how valuable an international education can be. The pair of Lincoln students ventured over to the US together last year for the exchange.

Nelson, who studies Environment, Policy and Planning, said the exchange brought a global perspective to his work.

Studying in the states gave him a new appreciation and understanding of New Zealand as a bicultural society, as the approach to indigenous issues was very different.

“You can bring a lot of your learning from Lincoln to the classes in Colorado. You can really contribute, everyone wants to hear from you. People are excited to hear your perspective.”

Nelson is in his last year of study and has already lined up a graduate position. He found the exchange to be a valuable addition to his CV while interviewing for jobs.

Angus, who studies Land and Property, said doing a real estate class opened his eyes to how different legal systems could be in his field.

“It was really interesting to see the differences between our governments. Even though it’s all so different, I can still apply it here.

“There’s a different way of teaching and learning over there. It really helped my adaptability.”

It’s also great for CSU students coming here, as New Zealand provides an entirely different environment for them to experience.

CSU animal science student Jana Johnson is nearing the end of her time in New Zealand. She aims to work in cattle nutrition on feed lots and is confident her studies at Lincoln will be beneficial in her career.

“It’s really interesting because everything here is grass fed. Most of what I work with in the States is grain fed.

“I didn’t know about nitrate leaching, or the differences between rye grass, or plantain, or red clover. Learning about that stuff has been really interesting.

“I feel the cultural differences really show how adaptable you have to be. If you can show an employer that you went to a different country and thrived in that environment, I think it shows how you are as a person.”

Jana visited New Zealand briefly when she was younger and was thrilled when she learned CSU had an exchange programme here. She spent lots of time planning her trip and making sure she could go out and explore between her studies at Lincoln.

“I’ve done pretty much everything there is to do on the South Island.”

“We did a cruise in Picton. We toured wineries. I got to see kiwis at the kiwi sanctuary. We went hunting one time and they were everywhere, it was crazy. You could hear them everywhere.”

The exchange is now being paired with an internship on the CSU Beef Improvement Centre ranch in South Wyoming, thanks to AngusNZ. For up to four months Lincoln University students will be immersed in ranch life, gaining hands-on experience on the Angus stud cattle ranch.

AngusNZ aims to ensure the integrity of the Angus breed and foster strong relationships across the industry. Students receiving the new scholarship will be able to aid in that mission, returning to New Zealand with an international perspective on Angus farming.

LU Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) student Jacob Anderson is one of the two students receiving the scholarship.

He was excited by the wide range of courses offered by CSU, which all come with the chance to view his studies from a different lens. He’s also planning to get immersed in a new mountain biking scene.

“I’m excited to meet new people and make new contacts. It’ll be so cool to be in another country.”

Angus NZ Board Member Andrew Law said the idea for the new scholarship started when a professor from CSU stayed at his farm.

“We got talking about opportunities for young people these days. I thought it would be great for my young children when they grow up. We carried on discussions and got to the stage where we could make something available through AngusNZ.”