Traveling to Vietnam for Inaugural International Trip

Sophomore Frank Keller (Farm Management; Oswego, IL) spent Spring Break 2025 in Vietnam with seven other Boilermakers. The program, “Vietnam Food Security & Environmental Challenges,” was led by Dr. Elizabeth Karcher, Department of Animal Sciences.

Frank chose Vietnam as his first trip out of the country because he “decided it would be best to take advantage of going with mentors who had traveled there before and were familiar with the locations and customs. Going through the College of Ag meant that we would be traveling to farms and this interested me because I am a farmer myself!”

His favorite activities included touring a dragon fruit farm, visiting a floating market and seeing the music presentation at Can Tho University. Frank shared that his favorite memory was “hanging out with the Vietnamese students at Can Tho. They were incredibly friendly and helpful for the whole trip.” He definitely plans to stay in touch with his new Vietnamese friends.

Frank summarized, “It was incredible to see culture and geography completely different than what I am used to. The experience allowed me to visit a beautiful part of the world while learning about other agricultural practices, experiencing a wonderful culture and making friends that I plan to stay connected with.”