My Purdue View

Sabrina Myoda

Major

Sustainable food and farming systems, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Hometown

Wilmington, Delaware

What really drew me to Purdue was my major: sustainable food and farming systems. I wanted something with a sustainable focus and an international emphasis, and it is a great fit. Along with my studies, one of the things I will remember for the rest of my life about my time at Purdue is going to Romania to study abroad. We lived with a host family for a week to learn about their culture, then did research on milk quality and presented the results to local farmers.

I’m also part of a campus ministry called Reformed University Fellowship, and that’s been a big part of my life at Purdue. For me, sustainability and stewardship are intrinsically related and my faith is part of the reason I want to work in agriculture. My main motivation is not financial profit—it’s how much good I can do for others. I hope to use the network I’ve gained as a Udall Scholar to make real change in the agriculture industry in developing nations.

I just finished my application to the Peace Corps for a position in Senegal promoting sustainable agriculture. I’m also looking at positions with charitable organizations that do international development work. In the long term, I’m interested in the U.S. Foreign Service. That work doesn’t link directly to agriculture, but an understanding of agricultural systems is essential in many food-insecure nations. My agricultural degree is not a limitation: it’s the basis on which I hope to build a career that impacts lives while sharing how amazing plants are.