Name: Hailey Snyder
Type of Project: Education Abroad
Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project.
For my STEP Signature Project, I participated in the Small Ruminant Education Abroad program. I traveled through Scotland with several other students to several different cities over the course of ten days. This education abroad allowed me to gain an array of knowledge and experience with small ruminant animals and Scottish culture.
1.What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project?
My STEP Signature Project was the Scotland’s Small Ruminant Education Abroad. Through my STEP Signature Project, I was able to grow personally, gain a greater understanding of Scottish culture, and learn about differences between the animal industry in Scotland and the United States. I know that this experience will help me in the future by instilling acceptance, curiosity, adventure and understanding.
2.What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you?
The changes of personal growth, understanding of culture, and recognition of differences between industries was due to the people that I encountered in Scotland and the many activities that I was able to participate in. Not only did I have the opportunity to get to know my fellow students, but people from Scotland who were passionate about their role within the animal industry.
During the Education Abroad program, I was able to explore the cities and rural areas of Scotland. While we stopped at many locations with the group, I felt that I experienced personal growth during free time. Other students and I often sought out different experiences relating to food and culture. For example, at one point I was able to try the traditional Scottish dish, Haggis.
Before traveling to Scotland, I was not familiar with their culture or history. One experience that really taught me of how the Scottish people came to be was a guided tour through the Scottish National Museum. Our tour guide began by talking about how many people (Picts, Irish, Roman, and Vikings) traveled to Scotland and influenced its people, culture, and traditions. Moving towards the present, he explained the relationship that Scotland has with the United Kingdom and European Union. Learning about history and influences on culture allowed me to better understand Scotland as it is presently.
Through our visits to many farms and The University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, I was able to see and understand differences between Scotland and the United States in regard to the animal science industry – specifically small ruminants. While at the University of Glasgow, we were asked to participate in a debate with current veterinary students. This experience led me to realize that Scotland faces many different challenges than the United States with invasive species, spread of disease and weather/climate. However, there are similarities such as a high emphasis on animal welfare.
3.Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life?
The changes and transformations that I have experienced through my education abroad STEP Signature Project are valuable to me because they benefit me currently and will continue to benefit me in the future. The information that I have learned about small ruminants and the animal industry relate directly to my classes as an Animal Sciences major. As an Animal Sciences major, my goal is to continue onto veterinary school and then practice large animal ambulatory medicine. My experiences during the education abroad program have made me much more comfortable handling goats and sheep, which I did not have experience with before my project. I hope that I can teach others more about the small ruminant industry and how animals are perceived differently around the world
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Thanks for sharing this reflection, Hailey. Don’t judge, but I initially had to look up what a Ruminant was. So you are already at least teaching me!
I think your participation in a debate with Vet students at Glasgow is fascinating. It is somewhat common for study abroad students to reflect on how culture/history affects our view of one another, but not so often that we think about our view of the animals we share the planet with. Pretty cool stuff! I hope this experience stays with you in your studies here at OSU and then well into your own career. Best to you, Hailey.
Caleb