Why would you be a great participant in the global UGRAD Program?
I was born in a family that supports my effort in developing my knowledge and skill. My parents always encourage me to actively participate in social activities. To do what my parents said was not a simple thing, at first. It was because I did not have enough confidence. Being in a social setting was one of the most nerve-racking things. I felt my energy drained being around new people and in unfamiliar situations. I was too cautious about what people think of me. It took me sometimes to say something because I would think first of what I should and shouldn't say. The good thing was, I had more time to observe and understand people better.
I am grateful that the university I am in now has given me lots of opportunities to actively engage in social activities. At one point, I realized I need to challenge and push myself out of my comfort zone. I have joined Wushu Community, and I was chosen as the chair of the committee for the election event and the discussion on the memorandum of association. It was a rewarding experience. I work with people with a different perspectives and have more skills and experience. Although it was challenging, I have learned so much on how to deal with people who came from a diverse cultural backgrounds, to respect people's opinions, and to be an excellent negotiator. Without realizing it, I had a good time being around the community, interacting with people, and understanding the people's nature. I also got several opportunities to chair a team in the university such as student orientation management and soft skills training events. I Believe leadership skills would beneficial for my future professional career.
I live surrounded by agricultural fields and based on my observation, agriculture is not viewed as an attractive future job for the young generation. Additionally, it seems woman farmers have lower access to control over agricultural inputs than men. As a student in Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering and as a citizen, I hope I can contribute to my closest one first, who are my home university and my home environment. I want to give back to the community what I have learned at the university. I would like to set a community farm employing smart farming principal where I live and to allow the young and women farmers to learn about low external input sustainable agriculture. I also would like to share my knowledge on how to improve agricultural products value.
By participating in the UGRAD Program, I hope I can enrich my skills in communicating, leading people, motivating, building a relationship with people. These skill sets I believe are crucial in improving community productivity, especially when I return to my home country and wish to establish a community farm. Besides, I hope I can do a benchmarking on the application of precision farming in the US, that later can be applied in my home country.