CALS Global Fellows Program

Sehgal Foundation: Every person deserves to lead a more secure, prosperous, and dignified life. With that vision in mind, the Sehgal Foundation mission is to strengthen community-led development initiatives to achieve positive social, economic, and environmental change across rural India. With support from donors and partners, Sehgal Foundation designs and promotes rural development interventions that create opportunities, build resilience, and provide solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in India’s poorest communities.

Suggested majors and/or professional interests (varies accordingly to internship): IARD, Development Sociology, Communications, Information Science, Agricultural Science, Applied Economics and Management, with interests in community, digital and mass media, journalism, rural development, adaptive technology, and computer programming.

Placements: 2-4

• More information on specific placements with Sehgal Foundation

Tata Cornell Institute (TCI) for Agriculture and Nutrition: The Tata Cornell Institute (TCI) is a long-term research initiative focusing on the design and evaluation of innovative interventions linking agriculture, food systems, human nutrition, and poverty in India. TCI is part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and are hosted by the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: IARD, Agricultural Science, Global Health, Development Sociology focusing on economics, agriculture, international relations, development studies, health, nutrition, human ecology, gender studies

Placements: 2

• More information on specific placements with TCI

CALS in partnership with Asia Internship Program (AIP), will support selected Fellows in the Spring semester to finalize their placement in an organization or company based on their skills and interests. Placement opportunities focus on business development, consulting, entrepreneurship, environmental policy, design, import/export, IT, law, PR & marketing, and more. The placement process includes an interview with our partner and with the company/organization's supervisor. It is key then, that students are flexible around placement finalization, clearly articulate their personal and professional objectives throughout the application process, and if selected as a Fellow, contribute meaningfully to the matching phase.

Placements: 2-4

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: Applied Economics and Management, Biology and Society, Communications, Environment and Sustainability, Food Science, Information Science

• More information on specific placements in Thailand

Szent István University (SZIU) Research Groups: SZIU is one of Hungary’s most prominent institutions of higher education and consists of eight different faculties for study and research hosting approximately 15,000 students with campuses in Gödöllő and Budapest, the latter commonly cited as one of the most beautiful cities of Europe.

Placements: 1

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: Environment and Sustainability, Animal Science, Agricultural Sciences, Plant Sciences, and Biological Sciences

• More information on specific placements in Hungary

CALS partners with the University of Porto, Faculty of Sciences to offer select placements in ecology and viticulture fields and landscape architecture.  

Placements: 3

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: Biological Sciences, Viticulture & Enology Landscape Architecture, Environment and Sustainability majors with a focus on ecology, conservation and/or wine tourism and applied field work. 

• More information on specific placements in Portugal

CALS in partnership with Intern Colombia, will support Fellows to finalize their placement in an organization or company based on their skills and interests.

Placement opportunities focus on community development, conflict resolution, education, environmental sustainability, healthcare, human rights, international trade & development, peace, security & post-conflict reconstruction, peacebuilding, poverty eradication, and women’s rights, among others.
 

The placement process includes a one-to-one advising session with Intern Colombia, interview preparation, and interview(s) with prospective Host Organizations. It is important that students are clear about their expectations, and personal & professional goals and contribute collaboratively throughout the internship placement process.
 

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: Communications, Development Studies, Education, Environment and Sustainability, Global Development, Global & Public Health Sciences, International Trade & Development, Landscape Architecture, Water Resources, interest in the non-profit sector and/or Equivalent.
About Colombia

CALS has partnered with Agropecuaria Claridae SRL, a large 40,000 head cattle ranching and agricultural company to offer select placements in Cattle Farming, Feed Nutrition and Agriculture.

Specific Details of each project will be agreed upon with the student and PI once accepted to the program.  

Students will be fully integrated into the daily operations of a working beef cattle ranch and feedlot. Under the guidance of local ranchers, farmhands, and COO and CEO, interns will gain hands-on experience across a wide range of activities and assessments. Responsibilities may include feed analysis, nutrition management, and animal welfare monitoring, providing valuable insight into a unique side of the beef cattle industry.

This program is particularly well-suited for students with backgrounds in farming, dairy, or agriculture, as well as those interested in sustainable agricultural practices. Specific projects will be tailored to each student’s skills and interests in collaboration with the host organization following acceptance into the program.

Suggested Majors: Global Development, E&S, Agriculture Sciences, Animal Sciences, others who have the appropriate background are welcome to apply.  Some knowledge of financial modeling is desired. 

In partnership with Copa Investments, with the possibility of being stationed in Sao Paulo, Brazil or Asuncion, Paraguay.  Copa Investments is a multi-faceted investment management firm that manages forestry and agricultural investments through private equity funds. 

Current assets managed by Copa include:

• Eucalyptus plantations in different sites in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil,
• Sugarcane mill producing sugar, ethanol, and renewable energy, with its own plantations and third-party sugarcane supply, in Clementina, SP, Brazil,
• Avocado plantation in Cristina, MG, Brazil, and
• Irrigated rice crops in San Pedro, Paraguay.

Projects under evaluation include:

• Various timberland investments in different regions of Brazil
• Irrigated coffee plantations in different regions of Brazil
• Irrigated cocoa plantations in different regions of Brazil

Suggested Majors: Global Development, Agriculture Science, Environment and Sustainability & AEM.  Some knowledge of financial modeling is required.

Go Fresh! Go Fresh! is an award-winning Botswana-based agricultural operation that utilizes the latest greenhouse and hydroponic technology to locally grow Grade-1 vegetables consistently, year-round. Go Fresh! seeks to unleash the power of youth leaders and technology to be the largest producer of organic and sustainably grown produce in distributed farms, creating food security for Botswana, creating employment in our communities, enabling our tourism industry and delivering the healthiest, freshest, best tasting produce possible.

Suggested Majors and/or professional interests: AEM, IARD, Development Sociology, ag-engineering, computer programming skills

Placements: up to 4 (2 in Maun on farm; 2 in Gabarone in main office)

• Visit Cornell Experience for more information on specific placements in Botswana

Manor House Agriculture Centre: The mission of Manor House is to provide smallholder farmers with practical training, research and extension services in ecological agriculture and agricultural enterprise development. Manor House has been an organic agriculture training center for the past 35 years. It is located in Trans Nzoia county Kenya, which lies on a 1800-2200 masl plateau between Mt Elgon and the Cheranganyi Hills. Daily temperatures are in the high 70’s and go down into the 50’s at night.

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: IARD, Development Sociology, Agriculture Sciences, Animal Sciences, Environment & Sustainability, Dyson, and interests in food systems, markets, sustainability, crop and livestock production, education and more. 

Placements: up to 3, among different project areas

• More information on specific placements in Kenya on Cornell Experience

Soils, Food and Healthy Communities (SFHC): The Soils, Food and Healthy Communities project is a participatory, farmer-led organization which uses agroecological methods to improve food security and nutrition in Malawi.

Suggested majors and/or professional interests: Development Sociology, IARD, Environment & Sustainability, Entomology, Agriculture Sciences, focus on food security, and rural development

Placements: 2

• Learn more about specific placements in Malawi