Dustin Moreno of Panama decided that an American education would help him solve problems in his country's agricultural sector.
“I decided to come to America to get my master’s degree because America has one of the best universities in agricultural sciences in general. And also because of English. I know English is a commercial language that we use everywhere,” he explained.
Moreno was worried the admissions process would be difficult. But he said the university helped with a two-week English course aimed at international students before their studies.
Moreno studied weed science at Colorado State University (CSU) and plans to use his knowledge to address Panama’s agricultural problems. Among them, he said, is that Panama lacks high-quality soil. There are times when rainfall is high, and the mountainous terrain limits what crops can be grown.
“And when I was in Panama, I realized that the big problem we have in Panama is weed management, and we don’t have a lot of people working in that area. I saw it as an opportunity to learn about it. CSU has one of the best weed science programs in the U.S. I’m almost done with my master’s degree and I plan to go back to my country and live there,” he said.
The university helps prepare students for job prospects in the United States and other countries by focusing on English language programs.
Laurel Bond, senior instructor in international programs at CSU,
said, “Teaching English in this environment has been the greatest privilege of my life. It has opened up so many opportunities for my students, economic, academic, and scientific benefits in the community, but it also creates huge barriers if you don’t have truly professional English skills.”
Lauren Kinter, director of the Program for Academic and Community English Language Learning, or PLACE, at CSU, which helps international students adjust to campus.
“(The program) gives students the opportunity to not only improve their language skills but also help them gain access to education, but also access to culture. Being an international student is more than just academics. Students should be able to fully integrate into the CSU community and the Fort Collins community,” he explained.
Moreno said studying in America also helped build his confidence. “Keep trying, believe in yourself. I know it’s a tough journey sometimes. You’ll feel like you can’t do it but you can do it.”
During the 2023 academic year, Colorado State University campuses are home to international students from nearly 30 countries. (ab/uh)
