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.