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The sound is unmistakable—a grumbling putter followed by screeching breaks and a reluctant idle: the mailman is here, and Tiara Darnell ‘11 is running to her mailbox. In the carrier’s hand is her gateway to the rest of the world, coming in the form of an international postcard from her father. Growing up in a military family is not without its challenges, but for Darnell, these childhood afternoons waiting for the postman were the origins of a global fascination that would take her all over the world. 

As an agricultural and resource economics student, Phia Krygowski wanted to expand her global perspective of agribusiness as she prepared for her final semester at the University of Maryland. Environmental Science & Technology student Nicholas Olson wanted to see real life examples of conservation in action.

The University of Maryland has joined the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif) as an International Partner Institution (IPI), where it will offer internship opportunities for visiting doctoral students to train, conduct research, and build capacity to innovate when they return to Africa.

"I was able to make lots of new friendships and talk to people I may not have been able to interact with before. I expanded my social network greatly as I met people from all over the world and also a lot of students from UMD that I may not met without study abroad!"

"I lived with a host family and dedicated most of my coursework to learning Spanish and it fully paid off. I speak Spanish comfortably now after my four immersive months in Chile and traveling around South America."

"A skill I gained while in India was the ability to connect with people from the region on a deeper level - especially those who live in the US now. Meaning, I am able to relate to those whose lineage comes from the area which is important for my future in a diverse work environment."