Students visit Costa Rica to study agriculture, agroforestry and development

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A group of students from the College of Agricultural Sciences and School of International Affairs (SIA) spent their spring break in Costa Rica, learning about sustainable agricultural production, agroforestry systems, rural development, and Costa Rican history and culture.

The trip exemplified interdisciplinary expertise and collaboration, the impact of experiential learning on student success, and the value of global engagement.

A total of 16 students —11 undergraduates in the College of Agricultural Sciences and five graduate students in SIA — spent eight days in the country, staying at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), which works with communities throughout Central and Latin America and the Caribbean on “Green Development” projects to help increase human well-being and reduce rural poverty.

Travel was supplemented by funding from the Ag Sciences Global office and administrative support from the School of International Affairs. Some SIA students received supplementary support from the SIA Study Abroad Fund, which has benefited from the generosity of SIA Advisory Board member the Honorable Mary Beth Long. Some College of Agricultural Sciences students received individual study abroad awards from the Elaine and Howard Steele Fund for Agriculture Adventures and the Terry and Adriana Muth Ag Sciences Global Support Fund.

Two Penn State faculty led the trip: Elizabeth Ransom, associate professor of international affairs at SIA and senior research associate in the Rock Ethics Institute; and Eric Burkhart, teaching professor in ecosystem science and management.

“This was an experiential learning opportunity for students to see these integrated production systems used in the tropics, while simultaneously facilitating personal growth and inspiration via international travel,” Burkhart said.

Burkhart also noted that many of his undergraduate students had not traveled internationally before, making the trip especially meaningful to them.

“Traveling to Costa Rica marked the first time in my life that I left the United States, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who welcomed me into an unfamiliar place with such kindness and generosity,” said Kayley Henninger, an undergraduate student majoring in forest ecosystem management. “I am thankful to those folks for sharing their stories and showing me corners of the country that most visitors fly right over. I won’t soon forget the vast and varied agricultural systems, yummy food (mangoes here will never be the same), and rich history of that land. I know this experience has had a profound effect on me, and I hope to translate that into action as I move forward with my career.”

Experiential learning and student success

The experience was connected to Ransom’s graduate-level course, “Ethical Dimensions in Food and Agricultural Governance,” and Burkhart’s course “Agroforestry: Science, Design, and Practice.”

Ransom and Burkhart organized numerous activities during the trip that provided students with direct, hands-on learning opportunities:

• Visited a smallholder farming family, where they toured the land, listened to the farmers tell their history and story, and gained an understanding of the diversity of crops and livestock grown on small (less than six acres) farms in the area.
• Witnessed the steps involved in cacao production at Nortico, a nearby “farm to bar” cacao agroforestry farm.
• Learned about cacao germplasm preservation and improvement efforts at CATIE.
• Harvested taro, a tropical root crop, and processed it into taro chips at CATIE’s sustainability demonstration farm.
• Explored the tropical crop genetic repository at CATIE.
• Gained a better understanding of Costa Rican history, culture and biodiversity by visiting Cahuita National Park along the Caribbean coast, a farmers market in Turrialba, and the National Museum in San José.

Taken together, the experiences and activities in Costa Rica added an educational element that complemented and enhanced the classroom material, said the students.

“One of the most rewarding and emotional aspects of this experience was hearing directly from the people living and working within these agroforestry systems,” said Elizabeth Rush, an undergraduate student majoring in environmental resource management. “I feel like I came home with new perspectives that challenge the things I am used to, both in agriculture and in everyday life.”

Similarly, other students highlighted that the trip added depth, context, and nuance to their understanding of agricultural systems.

“My time in Costa Rica, particularly at CATIE, was not only an enriching personal experience but also highly valuable for my academic and professional development,” said Melyna Martinez, a second-year master’s candidate in SIA. “During the trip, I gained a deeper understanding of agricultural systems and food production, especially the origins of products like cacao and coffee. Beyond the technical knowledge, what stood out most was witnessing firsthand how agriculture shapes livelihoods in Costa Rica, from small-scale farmers to local entrepreneurs in the chocolate industry.”

Global engagement and career readiness

Their time in Costa Rica helped the students gain a deeper understanding of interconnected agricultural systems from both a local and global perspective.

“Students were able to witness and learn about an entirely different biome, including both natural history and agroecological aspects of tropical landscapes,” Burkhart said. “They were also introduced to Latin American and Costa Rican culture which expanded their understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity and customs, along with food systems which are very different from what one experiences in temperate regions such as Pennsylvania.”

Several students noted that seeing and experiencing those differences will have long-term impacts on their education and career.

“The class trip to Costa Rica was an incredible experience that showed how their agroforestry practices are not just an agricultural method but also a cultural ethic,” said Zachary Morrill, a second-year master’s candidate at SIA. “It provided me the opportunity to see their practices up close and taught me how sustainable land use can strengthen economies. The experience provided me the exact field insight that shapes how I think about policy and development in the future.”

Zooming out, the trip also connected students with the broader system of international development.

“Our trip was extremely timely, as CATIE was born out of international collaboration after WWII, and is a reminder of the importance of cooperation to improve human well-being while preserving the environment,” Ransom said.

Learning more about the history and current practices of agriculture in Costa Rica also helped students better envision and prepare for their future careers.

“This experience highlighted both the opportunities and challenges within sustainable agriculture, and one of the most valuable lessons I took away is that meaningful change and humanitarian work can take many forms, often rooted in local communities and everyday practices,” Martinez said.

She added, “Overall, this trip strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in the humanitarian and NGO sector within international affairs. It inspired me to continue learning, engaging with diverse communities, and contributing to initiatives that create a positive impact on people and the environment.”