UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The U.S. Department of State has commended the Ag Sciences Global office in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences for its exceptional commitment to organizing the 2024 Gilman Global Food Security Seminar Series.
This recognition underscores the college’s dedication in successfully coordinating a virtual speaker series this past spring and an in-person meeting — the Gilman Foreign Policy in Focus: Global Food Security Seminar — in early June in Washington, D.C. These events provided a platform for meaningful discussions and knowledge sharing.
The U.S. Department of State initiated the 2024 Gilman Global Food Security Seminars as part of the U.S. government effort to address the foreign policy priority of global food security in the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, noted Study Abroad Outreach Officer Cybèle Cochran.
“Starting with the virtual series hosted by Ag Sciences Global, the in-person seminar in Washington, D.C., provided an opportunity for Gilman Program alumni working in food security to gain insights from governmental and nongovernmental leaders in this sector,” she said. “We are grateful to Drs. Deanna Behring and Noel Habashy [of Ag Sciences Global], as well as the entire Penn State team, for their tireless efforts in support of this series.”
Behring, assistant dean for international programs and director of Ag Sciences Global, said the college was honored to be asked to organize and support the programs.
“Our college is leading the charge in tackling global challenges such as hunger,” she said.
She pointed to the recent Times Higher Education 2024 University Impact Rankings, which evaluated 1,963 universities across the United Nations against their Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
“On SDG 2: Zero Hunger, Penn State was ranked third nationally and 10th worldwide,” Behring said.
The college received a Gilman International Scholarship Grant from the State Department to present the Gilman Global Food Security Virtual Seminars. The interactive seminars, held this past spring and attended by more than 1,100 participants, addressed the four pillars of food security and examined them from economic, political, social and technological perspectives, according to Habashy, assistant teaching professor and coordinator of the international agriculture minor in the college.
“It was a privilege to bring this important conversation of global food security to the Gilman Scholars, who are an exceptional group of individuals,” he said. “I jumped at the chance to lead this seminar series, especially since it provided a natural extension to the international agriculture minor. The minor offers insights into the real-world challenges of global food security, providing students with the opportunity to visit organizations in Washington, D.C., to learn about their efforts to support food security.”
These virtual sessions were followed by three-person meetings, the first of which was held in Washington, D.C., in June and organized by Ag Sciences Global. This meeting brought together 50 Gilman Scholarship recipients; there were 700 applicants for the session. “It was very competitive,” Behring said.
The seminar curriculum, developed by faculty in Ag Sciences Global, focused on enhancing the skills of Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program alumni. It addressed issues aligned with key U.S. foreign policy goals. Participants explored innovative practices and potential solutions to combat global food insecurity.
They also met with representatives of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the World Bank, Oxfam America, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., and other organizations.
One of the Gilman scholars attending the in-person gathering was Leticia Nortey, founder and executive director of Expanding Boundaries International, a nonprofit based in Westminster, Maryland, that strives to empower youth with a global mindset and technology skills for the workforce nationally and internationally.
Nortey wrote in her blog that hearing personal stories and testimonials from fellow scholars and professionals was one of the most impactful moments. She shared her journey and how the seminar series empowered her and endorsed her plan to launch an agricultural-focused study abroad program in Ghana and other developing nations through Expanding Boundaries International.
“The seminar series not only broadened my understanding of food security but also emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration,” she said. “The connections made and the knowledge gained will undoubtedly influence my future endeavors in addressing food security within my community.”
Other seminars are planned for Colombia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe, to be organized by the U.S. embassies in those countries.
The Gilman Program aims to broaden the participation of U.S. students in international education by providing scholarships to Pell Grant recipients to study or intern abroad. The Gilman alumni from across the United States participating in the seminar series represent various professions working on global food security issues, including agriculture, nutrition, ecology and policy making.