Program Dates: July 10th – 21st, 2023
Clarisa Caballero-Ignacio, Coordinator of Student Outreach and Retention Co-lead Discovering Ancient and Modern-day Agriculture in the heart of Mexico Study Abroad Program with Dr. Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez, Associate Dean of Academics for College of Agricultural Sciences.
The program started with a dream and vision from Dr. Mata-Gonzalez to collaborate with Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, an agricultural college located in Texcoco, Mexico.
Summer 2023 was the first OSU Mexico program collaboration with Universidad Autónoma Chapingo. Fourteen students participated in the program, where over 85% of the students were fully funded through grants. Ten of the students helped in creating agriculture curriculum, interview questions, and conducted interviews that teachers can use to help aid in classroom content. Jay Well, Associate Director of the Science Math Investigate Learning Experiences (SMILE) program also joined us and a huge help in working with students to create agricultural content.
Over 70% of the student participants who were First/Generation/Low Income (FGLI) students.
Over 85% of students who identified as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).
Experienced ancient and modern-day Agriculture in Mexico while enjoying authentic Mexican food.
Toured Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, National Museum of Agriculture, Partenón and Riveriana Chapel, where we admired amazing murals from the famous Mexican painter Diego Rivera.
Visited the Unidad de Tecnología Lechera (Dairy Center) and learned, observed, and tasted the process of quesillo, also known as queso Oaxaca, one of the cheeses processed in the dairy training unit of the University.
Visited International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), a non-profit research and development organization in charge of producing improved varieties of wheat and maize with the aim of contributing to food security. We toured the facility and heard from agricultural researchers, producers, and specialists.
Learned about current research in Precision Agriculture with drones and robots. Engaged with students from the department of Mechanical and Agricultural Engineering (Ingeniería Mecánica Agrícola).
Learned about the Nopaltepec community and cultivation of nopal (cacti) and its processing derivatives. We learned about the different products that contain derivatives of nopal and were able to taste fresh tuna (prickly pear) straight from the cacti plant.
Toured the Animal Sciences and Experimental Farm in Universidad Autónoma Chapingo.
Gained knowledge from agave and pulque producers in Nanacamilpa, Tlaxcala about the process of cultivation and extraction .We also learned about the agave cultural connections with ancient and modern-day Mexican society. We were able to taste agua miel, the sap of the maguey plant. In addition, we were able to experience the Tlaxcala Firefly Sanctuary.
Explored the pyramids of Teotihuacán and ate at La Gruta, a restaurant inside a cave near Teotihuacán, Archaeological site, behind Pirámide del Sol (Sun Pyramid).
Visited Xochimilco and learned about the ancient “Chinampa” technique; a system of floating gardens and terracing used on the freshwater lakes of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City today) for agricultural purposes. We learned about ancient sustainable agricultural practices in order to reduce the use of chemicals used as well as ways to increase fertility in the soil and quality of the produce.
Experienced Universidad Autónoma Chapingo Charreria, a sport and discipline arising from equestrian activities and livestock traditions used in the haciendas of Mexico.
Thanks to program sponsors:
USDA NIFA grant/PreCollege Programs and College Assistant Migrant Program
Co-Leaders:
- Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez
- Clarisa Caballero-Ignacio
- Jay Well
Graduate Students:
- Elizabeth Johnson
- Juriana Barboza Sagrero
Undergraduate Students:
- Briana Santillan
- Daniel Gonzalez
- Elizabeth Lopez
- Guadalupe Licona
- Gustavo Velazquez
- Jaiden Sakamoto
- Kestrle Rayfield-Foote
- Noe Alvarez
- Sofia Vazquez-Fernandez
- Valeria Coronado
- Victoria Flores Parra
- William Muravior