DASNR
International
Student of the Week

Home Country:
Mexico


Mexico : The United Mexican States is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bounded on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the North Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico. The United Mexican States comprise a federation of thirty-one states and a federal district, the capital Mexico City, which is one of the world's most populous cities.

Covering almost 2 million square kilometers, Mexico is the fifth-largest country in the Americas by total area and the 14th largest in the world. With an estimated population of 109 million, it is the 11th most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world.

As a regional power and the only Latin American member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) since 1994, Mexico is firmly established as an upper middle-income country.

Mexico is the 12th largest economy in the world by gross domestic product (GDP), on par with countries like Canada and Spain, even though income inequality is still high. The economy is strongly linked to those of its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time that an opposition party won the presidency from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional: PRI) which had held it since 1929, culminating the political alternation at the federal level, which had begun at the local level during the 1980s.

Agriculture's contribution to GDP fell from 15.1% in 1960 to 10.7% in 1970 and 4% in 2001—yet agriculture employs about 22% of the labor force. Only about 13% of Mexico's total land area is suitable for cultivation, and only 6% is cultivated with permanent crops; over 6.5 million hectares (16 million acres) are irrigated.

In 1960, Mexico became self-sufficient for the first time in corn; it continues to be self-sufficient in beans, rice, sugar, and most fruits and vegetables and fluctuates between being either a net importer or self-sufficient with wheat and corn. The government continues to protect agriculture and to ensure domestic consumption through import and export duties and controls. The government supports the prices of corn, wheat, beans, and fresh eggs and then sells these and other farm products at minimal prices through retail stores operated by the National Corporation for Public Subsidies.

In 1999, the principal crops' production totals (in tons) were as follows: sugarcane, 46,000,000; corn, 18,324,000; sorghum, 6,297,000; wheat, 3,072,000; dry beans, 1,085,000; soybeans, 132,000; rice, 399,000; and barley, 469,000. Principal exports are coffee, cotton, fresh fruit, sugar, tobacco, and tomatoes. In 2001, the value of agricultural exports amounted to $7,631 million, with tomato exports $540.8 million

 


Maria Guadalupe Fabregas Janeiro
March 20, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the Department of Agricultural Education...

This week’s international student of the week is Maria Guadalupe Fabregas-Janeiro. She is a PhD student in Agricultural Education. She is from Puebla, Mexico; she speaks Spanish and English.

Lupita, as everyone calls her, is the Director of Universidad Popular Autonoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP), Mexico Liaison Office at OSU. Lupita is a member of Phi Beta Delta Honor Society. In her free time Lupita enjoys watching her kids playing sports. She dedicates almost all her free time to her family, andshe enjoys being with her kids talking and having fun. Lupita loves to travel.


Lupita has two children. Maria who is 18 year old and a Senior in Stillwater High School, and Jose who is 15 years old and 8th grader at Stillwater Junior High. Maria is going to play College soccer at Oral Roberts University this coming Fall, and she would like to be a Physical Therapist. She is very good student and a very good daughter, Lupita said. Maria’s passion is to play soccer and she is very good at it. Jose is a Football kicker at the Junior High, he also plays basketball, soccer, and tennis. He is very good with computers and math, he would like to be an engineer and play some college sport. Lupita is very proud of her kids, they are her best friends and the most important part of her life.

Lupita came to the USA as a visitor scholar in 2002. She came to explore exchange opportunities between UPAEP and OSU. After one year UPAEP decided to open a permanent office in the USA and OSU offered to host and manage this office. Lupita decided to begin doctoral studies after UPAEP appointed her as the director of the Liaison office. UPAEP has good relationship with Oklahoma and OSU since 1992.

Lupita’s future plans are to continue working for UPAEP at OSU, she would also like to be involved in CASNR-OSU diversity initiatives, and she also would like to teach at least one class in the College of Agriculture at OSU. Lupita’s major interest is multiculturalism and diversity. She enjoys interacting with people from different countries to learn about different styles of life. She would like to dedicate the rest of her life to promote international understanding.

Advisor: Dr. Kathleen Kelsey

Lupita’s advice for Students: “We are privileged to be here. We have a great opportunity that we should appreciate very much. Do not lose your time, do your best everyday, keep a positive attitude and work hard.”

Interview by Sandra Rodriguez

 

 

 

 

 

 

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