UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With a focus on the well-being of humanity, the Penn State Perreault Fellows Program helps Penn State students hone their global leadership perspectives. The centerpiece of this highly competitive program is an international internship. Liam Abbey, a plant sciences major in the College of Agricultural Sciences and one of 2026’s Perreault Fellows, spent his summer internship in Sydney, Australia.
“Australia is captivating,” said Abbey, of Elizabethtown. “I feel incredibly grateful for the support of the Perreault Fellowship Program. I never dreamed I’d have the chance to work and spend time in Australia’s diverse array of ecosystems. From doing impactful conservation work in Sydney to seeing the oldest rainforest on the planet, the support I received from the fellowship changed the course of my professional and academic career for the better.”
The Perreault Fellows Program is a highly competitive, two-year global leadership and internship fellowship designed for undergraduate students across multiple disciplines. As part of the program, students in fields related to health and human well-being prepare for future personal and professional excellence.
In addition to his major in plant sciences, Abbey is pursuing a minor in international agriculture (INTAG) and will graduate in December. Noel Habashy, associate teaching professor and INTAG minor coordinator, noted that Abbey has made great use of the resources Ag Sciences Global offers students and serves on the INTAG Student Advisory Board.
“Liam has an exceptional combination of intellectual curiosity and eagerness, which has opened doors to tremendous learning opportunities,” Habashy said. “Whether seeking to learn from Indigenous community members in South Dakota or conducting field research in Costa Rica, Liam has exhibited a wonderful, humble disposition of learning.”
Fellows participate in intercultural learning opportunities, a workshop through the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State, volunteer service, and give a presentation about their learning outcomes to the Penn State Provost’s Global Advisory Council. Perreault Fellows also receive up to $9,500 to support their international internship experience.
Abbey describes the cornerstone of the Perreault Fellowship as a focus on improving humanity.
“The earth and the environment are more central to humanity than anything, and my interests aligned well with the program,” he said.
During his internship in Sydney, Abbey worked with the North Sydney City Council on various ecological and urban-planning projects. Councils are local governments comparable to American townships or municipalities.
One of the first projects Abbey tackled was researching and providing recommendations about ornamental trees for urban settings. He explained that the city has nature reserves designed to encourage the regrowth of native plants. Abbey worked with volunteers to remove invasive plants, maintain trails and monitor wildlife in nesting boxes.
“Many of the nesting boxes hadn’t been regularly checked or monitored in many years, so I updated the GPS coordinates and tagged all the boxes,” he explained. “I also had a camera probe I could use to look in the boxes up in the trees to see what was living in them.”
Abbey appreciated the chance to do applied fieldwork for most of the summer and said the council let him explore anything that interested him. He also met and worked with people from councils across the city.
“I made great connections and great friends during the summer,” Abbey said. “Going into these nature reserves and working with volunteers was incredibly impactful. I met wonderful people, and it made me feel optimistic about humanity. Even though I was an ocean away from home, I felt an amazing sense of community.”
Looking back at his internship, Abbey said self-reliance was a key lesson.
“I was about as far away from home as I could get without leaving the planet,” he said. “The culture in Sydney isn’t radically different, but when you’re on the other side of the world, you just have to figure things out. I learned a lot about myself, and I also learned a lot about what I want to do.”
Abbey plans to attend graduate school and hopes his internship will help as he begins the application process. He is interested in how climate change and invasive species affect sensitive ecosystems, particularly in the Pacific Region.
“I can’t recommend studying abroad enough,” Abbey said. “I think you end up learning that wherever you go, people are people, and that despite any surface-level differences, we all have an overwhelming amount in common.”
Abbey highlighted the College of Agricultural Sciences’ range of programs that provide opportunities for students to travel worldwide for as short as a week or as long as a year. He praised the college’s supportive atmosphere and encouraged anyone interested in studying abroad to explore the Perreault Fellowship Program and other academic scholarships that make studying abroad more financially manageable.
“If you’re genuine and curious, no matter where you go, the people you meet will reciprocate, and you’ll get a lot more out of your experience,” Abbey said. “Be interested, be humble, and be open to trying new experiences.”