Iowa State’s College of Agriculture has established a five-year reciprocal student exchange program with Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand.

For the past two years, six students from Kasetsart have come to Iowa to learn about its agricultural practices.

For the first time last summer, four animal science students had the opportunity to visit Thailand.

Earlier this month, David Topel, dean of the College of Agriculture, traveled to Bangkok to sign a formal agreement to continue the exchanges.

The Thai students spent six months living with farm families across Iowa.

Julie Tritz, Thailand project coordinator, said the experience provides hands-on learning for the students.

Tritz kept in close contact with the students over email and with monthly group activities.

She also provided them supplemental information about topics of their interest.

For example, one student needed to know more cattle waste management for her father in Thailand.

At the end of their stay in September, the Thai students presented information about what they learned to Tritz and other ISU faculty members.

Tritz said students took home many practical skills.

“It was a great experience for them to deal with different people and a different culture,” she said. “It was an opportunity for them to grow professionally, academically and socially.”

Tritz said another benefit of the exchange program is that it allows for interaction in a wonderful way between host families and their students, which showed when the students left.

“I cannot express the goodbyes and the airport scene,” she said.

The ISU students who visited Thailand had similar experiences with their trips, Tritz said.

The students rotated to a variety of farms for two months.

Kristin Sieren, a senior in animal science, said she participated in the program to see how another country produces agriculture.

“It made me appreciate the things we have here,” Sieren said. “I learned a lot about ag and it was a great experience.”

Sieren said she met many people and encouraged other students to get involved with the program.

Next May through July, ISU will send four to six students to Kasetsart University. Applications are available in Curtiss Hall, Room 18 for a $10 application fee.

The down payment of $100 will be due Dec. 5, 1997. Tritz said the trip will cost about $1,500.