From the Department of Agricultural Economics....

In the photo above, JonAnn Decker (far right) is riding horse in Mexico.

Jon Ann Decker is a Graduate student from the Department of Agricultural Economics. She is from Cope, Colorado which is in Eastern Colorado, near the Kansas border. She came to Oklahoma State University for her undergraduate degree as well. She chose OSU for the well known Agricultural School. She is a member of the Graduate Student Association of Agricultural Economics and when she is not busy studying she enjoys reading, traveling and watching movies.

Last summer she went on a two week study abroad course with Dr. Derrell Peel of the Agricultural Economics Department to Mexico. They started their trip in Monterrey and ended up in Mazatlan. On the trip they toured feed lots, packing plants, sale barns, ranches and even got to go to an archeological site in Zacatecas. Through the trip she learned so much about the culture and a lot about their agricultural process. After the two weeks were up she then spent another three weeks in Durango City in the state of Durango. She had the chance to work with an extension employee through the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture. Two of the weeks were dedicated to traveling around with the extension employee and visiting various parts of Durango, visiting ranches and various extension agents to see what projects they were working on. She also spent a week in the mountains at a ranch staying with an animal scientist.

Her future plans are to finish her master’s and to work in extension possibly in Mexico. “Studying abroad is a great experience culturally and educationally, I encourage everyone to try it,” said Decker.

Her advisor is Dr. Epplin

In the photo above, JonAnn Decker (far right) is shoppping for souvenirs in Mexico.

Interview by Taryn Fast