World Traveler

It's a big world out there, and Jessica Rivera is getting to see a lot of it. Thanks to her animal bioscience major combined with minors in Japanese and equine science, she's already had the opportunity to explore everything from the peaks of Mount Fuji to the land down under.

"The great thing about Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences is that it will actually give you money to go study abroad, and many professors can tell you about it before you leave," she says. "It really is an international college."

Rivera, of West New York, N.J., is currently in her fifth year at Penn State studying to go to veterinary school. "Initially, I took the courses in Japanese because I had a strong interest in martial arts, but I found that it was actually something applicable to my major because not many students get the chance to experience how veterinarians outside of the United States handle and work with animals," she says. "So, I decided to study abroad in Japan to not only experience this, but also to expose myself to a new culture."

While in Japan, Rivera lived with her host family in Makuhari-hongou and worked in a no-kill, nonprofit animal shelter in Takayanagi, about an hour from Tokyo. "Once you get to Japan, you realize that there is so much you didn't know about this culture, and you learn as you go," says Rivera. "The people are very polite toward foreigners, and the host family I stayed with was absolutely amazing."

When Rivera was not working with animals in Takayanagi, she spent time traveling and experiencing the unique aspects of Japan. And after staying in Japan for four months, Rivera traveled to New Zealand, Thailand and Australia, where she took classes at the University of Adelaide.

She climbed Mt. Fuji, attended a sumo wrestling match, and went skydiving, bungi jumping and snorkeling. "Penn State really pushes to help you achieve your goals, whether abroad or stateside," she says. "The experience helped me grow as a person and allowed me to see what I can become. It's something you just can't find sitting in a classroom."