Abstract

Agricultural educators often assume baseline student knowledge of how extension programs are structured within the US. From a curricular standpoint, however, students generally have had minimal exposure. This is acutely evident in the international domain. As both applied and social scientists, agricultural and extension educators need to continually reevaluate methods to successfully market and increase student participation in study abroad programs. Short-term programs are especially attractive because they operate within well defined financial and schedule constraints. Here we outline the ramifications of a short-term study abroad experience in international extension education. Students were given the opportunity to engage with local communities and record the deliverables and overall sustainable impacts of local extension services. To enhance the global outlook and capabilities of agricultural students, educators can successfully integrate international extension education and service learning within a short-term study abroad framework.