Who is Going?

Crystal: She’s affiliated with 4-HIM Ministries, which sponsors the orphanage from where our students come. I think one word describes her-wonderwoman! She has put so much time and effort into making this trip work, from coordinating our flights, to arranging meetings with Njala University faculty and 4-HIM orphanage staff, to giving us “insider information” to prepare us culturally. She’s just amazing, I can’t say it enough.

Dr. Dicks: He’s a professor with the OSU College of Agriculture and the newly seated Endowed Chair of International Trade and Development in the OSU School of International Studies—he’s the mastermind behind this project and the one who brought all of us together.

Dr. Hattey: He’s a professor with the OSU College of Agriculture and also visited Njala University in early-June, so he’s been really helpful in giving us an idea of what to expect when we get there.

Dr. Blackwell: She’s a professor with the OSU College of Agriculture. We’re lucky to have her with us because she’s spending almost the whole summer lecturing and teaching overseas in one country or another. I’m looking forward to working with her because I also happen to be taking an Agricultural Communications class she will teach next semester (totally coincidental).

Annie: She’s a graduate student in the OSU College of Agriculture. Annie is also Dr. Dicks’ graduate assistant and is originally from Ghana. Annie is so smart; before starting grad school she had a job involving commercial agricultural chemistry experiments (I can’t quite remember what company it was, but it was great real-world experience).

Alyssa: She’s an undergraduate pre-med student at OSU. I don’t know her that well, but from what I’ve heard she’s a pretty amazing person. Her field of study is medicine in the developing world, and she has already worked with a group of friends to create an afterschool program for kids in South Africa (called Thanda). In fact, she’s been a vital fundraiser for the program and recently was awarded a scholarship for like $10,000 to fund the Thanda project. The more I hear about her the more I admire her. Can’t wait to get to know her in Sierra Leone.

Pia: She is a doctoral student in the OSU Social Foundations program. Pia also graduated from OSU School of International Studies last December. Of everyone going, I know Pia the best. We actually met late last year in a class. We have a special connection not only because of our shared grad major, but also because Pia is Chilean. See, I was a high school exchange student in Chile (1996), and affectionately say that I have corazon chilena (a Chilean heart). In addition to teaching with us, Pia will conduct surveys that will serve to document the students’ thoughts about the program. Pia is actually teaching English in Puebla, Mexico this summer as well, so she’ll have a quick turnaround when we leave for Sierra Leone. I am so glad she is part of our team.