UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For doctoral student and agricultural educator Mia Sullivan, traveling to Uganda this past summer with Penn State’s Global Teach Ag Network will be the foundation for her studies and future career.
“Teachers are the same across oceans and borders,” said Sullivan, who is studying for her doctoral degree in education, development, and community engagement in the College of Agricultural Sciences. “We value learning experiences and opportunities for ourselves and our students. Working with the Ugandan teachers gave me greater empathy and highlighted what we take for granted as public school educators. Perspective is everything.”
Sullivan, who plans to pursue a dual degree in international agriculture and development, was among those who took part in Teach Ag Uganda, a professional learning experience for U.S. educators to explore food security at the intersection of Uganda’s cultural, educational and agricultural systems.
Hailing from Tennessee, Sullivan taught agricultural science at four high schools for almost a decade. She grew up in Knoxville and holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Kentucky. She also earned a master’s degree in agricultural education from Tennessee State University, a historically Black college and land-grant institution.
Sullivan, who is biracial, said while growing up, she often was the only Black student in her FFA chapter and high school agriculture program. She has focused on representation in agriculture throughout her career.
“I’ve taught students from many backgrounds, and I want them to be aware of the opportunities out there,” she said.
At University Park, Sullivan is the Global Teach Ag Network teacher in residence and graduate assistant. She works with Daniel Foster, associate professor of agricultural and extension education, and Melanie Miller Foster, associate teaching professor of international agriculture.
The network empowers educators to address global issues in agriculture and food security. Miller Foster explained that educators develop global competency and an understanding of issues by participating in immersive experiences designed specifically for educators.
“Gaining experience in an international context will serve Mia well,” Miller Foster said. “Learning to avoid assumptions by listening to community needs is a valuable skill that fosters ownership and agency.”
Sullivan’s trip to Uganda was funded by a U.S. Department of Education Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant. During the onboarding experience, Sullivan met educators from across the U.S. over Zoom who also were making the trip. The American educators interacted with their Ugandan counterparts, the program manager and staff from Field of Hope, which is is a nonprofit dedicated to agricultural education and extension.
The focus of the monthlong trip was Lira, a city in the northern region of Uganda. The educators had further training and observed at local schools, then spent seven days teaching and co-teaching lessons.
“Learning with fellow educators promotes mutual respect and trust,” Foster said. “It creates a foundation for productive collaboration and allows them to witness each other’s expertise, challenges and commitment.”
Sullivan taught at Comboni College, an all-boys school housing grades six through 12. Her school focused on building poultry facilities, then received their first batch of chicks.
A powerful moment for Sullivan was hearing one of the agriculture teachers from Comboni College speak to the students.
“He told them, ‘When you buy chickens and raise them, you sell them to buy a goat. When you raise the goat, you sell it to buy a cow,’” she said. “The mindset of encouraging students to become entrepreneurs and to strive for more has made me look at the chain of events that lead to student success. They get there one step at a time.”
Sullivan’s experience helped her to hone her creativity and critical thinking to promote student experiential learning with limited resources.
“These skills are transferable to what I’ll be doing as a future teacher educator and a current graduate student working with undergraduate preservice teachers,” she said.
Foster agreed, adding, “Mia developed new skills in mentoring, and she’s gained insight into designing and implementing research projects that address global food security through educator professional development.”
Before she left Uganda, Sullivan helped her students create a poultry club.
“They now have a project manager and a sales and marketing team,” she said. “I wanted them to feel proud and take ownership. They’ve put in a ton of work.”
Sullivan said she looks forward to reconnecting with her fellow teachers and students in December via Zoom to see how the projects have progressed and celebrate the students’ work.
“It was such a powerful experience,” she said. “There were a lot of tears when we were done. I have so much joy and love in my heart that it was hard to say goodbye to our new friends.”
After finishing her doctorate, Sullivan dreams of becoming a teacher educator.
“I want to focus on making this profession accessible to everyone,” she said. “As the population in our public schools grows more diverse, we need also to have people in the classroom who can connect with our students and in whom the students can see themselves. Ag education is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done or will do, and I want to encourage others to explore this career, too.”