Raegan Osentowski's Experiences Applying IDS Abroad and at Home
During my first semester at the 91短视频, I took a course on international development and sustainable development goals for the Global Leadership Initiative, GLI, program. This course was insightful, inspiring, and unlike anything I had taken before. Following the course, I declared a minor in International Development Studies to further explore the topics of international development specifically with a focus on environmental development. With a major in Geosciences, International Development Studies (IDS) provided the human and social dimension to the scientific topics I was studying. Through IDS, I had opportunities to take courses in Political Science, Natural Resource Science, and teach English at the Vietnam National University of Forestry in Trang Bom, Vietnam. I learned how to be a global citizen through engaging in conversations and lectures from professionals in the field. During my two semesters abroad, one in Athens, Greece, and one in Trang Bom, Vietnam, I was able to apply the IDS concepts in a global setting. From daily interaction to cultural immersion, I grew as a student and global citizen. While abroad, I was able to see and experience things I had learned about in previous IDS courses. Having hands-on experience provided an engaging and deeper understanding of the culture and region around me. Following graduation, I will be working as a research technician at the University of Texas, Austin, Marine Science Institute. The research will be centered around algal toxicology in the Gulf of Mexico. This position does not directly relate to IDS, but the skills I learned in the program will carry with me as I pursue a career in translational research. Learning communication skills, interdisciplinary approaches to complex problems, and a deeper understanding of the world will help me thrive as a researcher and into graduate school in the future. I plan to continue to see the world and one day conduct research in a different country. IDS has set me up for success with a variety of courses and seminars that broadened my knowledge.