Study abroad with TALL's Emerging Leaders Poland exchange program

University ag students interested in the unique opportunity to experience the everyday lives and farming or ranching practices, policies and culture of Poland are invited to participate in the fifth year of  Texas Agriculture Lifetime Leadership’s (TALL) Emerging Leaders Poland Program, a 6 credit hour study abroad internship. This program is open to all university students, and the credit hours can be transferred to the student’s base university from Texas A&M.
The dates of the 2016 Poland Study Abroad/Internship program will be June 3 to  July 7, 2017, with a completion dinner held in Warsaw, Poland on July 6.
The deadline to submit applications to the TALL office will be March 1, 2017.  In this 5 week program, participants will live and work on a farm or ranch to explore and expand their knowledge related to the history, culture, geography, economy and agriculture production systems of Poland, at minimum cost.
This program is sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, TAMU/ALEC Department, Bayer CropScience, the National Association of Polish Cereal Producers, and The Kosciusko Foundation. The Poland Study Abroad/Internship began from professional and personal relationships that have developed between the TALL program and the National Association of Cereal Grain Producers and elected officials of Poland.
According to Jim Mazurkiewicz, program professor and leadership program director for the TALL program, the results of this program have been overwhelmingly positive and have resulted in life changing experiences for the participants, as well as the host families. “This program has served as an excellent opportunity for collegiate students to gain hand on farm experience, international experience and a world view on farm policy,” he said.
Dr. Jack Elliot, Texas A&M University department head of Agriculture Education, Leadership and Communication said, “the Poland study abroad internship is the best value, highest quality and most in-depth program we offer.”
The total cost of the program is approximately $4,700, which includes 6 hours of tuition, roundtrip airfare, medical insurance, and administrative costs, which are basically $2,500 programmatic costs and $2,200 tuition costs that sums up to $4,700. In addition, there are scholarships available offered by the TAMU International Study Abroad Office.
The maximum number of students selected will be ten, and they will be selected by their applications on a first-come first-served basis and an interview in person or by telephone. Thus far, the program has had 9 Texas universities represented and more than 125 families participate in this program. Students from Poland are placed on farms in Texas with TALL alumni and friends during this same time frame. This exchange has made this program very practical, educational, affordable, and a great experience for Texas and Polish students.
Click here to download a 2-page brochure on the program or visit this website for more information, including how to apply.
Click here for more information on the TALL program.