UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Studying abroad is the dream of many students, and one Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences alumna used her undergraduate study abroad experiences as the foundation for her continued academic studies and a once-in-a-lifetime internship.
Sarah Kunkel, who graduated in 2020 with a major in animal science and a minor in equine science, is working on her master’s degree at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. However, she currently is interning in Sagalla, Kenya, for the Elephants and Bees Project, part of the Save the Elephants organization’s Human-Elephant Coexistence program.
The project’s objective is to build beehive fences to deter elephants from raiding farms and destroying crops in Kenya. It was begun by zoologist Lucy King, whose research showed that elephants are afraid of bees. In 2020, King’s TED Talk, “How Bees Can Keep the Peace Between Elephants and Humans,” was ranked as one of the most popular talks of the year.
Kunkel explained that the expanding human population is encroaching on elephant habitats, leading to a rise in human-elephant conflicts. Beehive fences are effective, eco-friendly deterrents that also provide farmers with pollinators and honey as another source of income.
“This internship has been a surreal opportunity,” Kunkel added. “I get to see Kenya’s unique wildlife and have met incredible people along the way.”
Although her day-to-day tasks vary, some of Kunkel’s regular duties include helping to monitor the beehive fences, inspecting occupied hives, performing crop raid assessments on farms where elephants have caused damage, and other community-based projects. Kunkel said leaders have been adapting the project to address the consequences of the ongoing drought in Kenya, such as feeding the bees with sugar water and implementing alternative elephant deterrents.
Kunkel’s internship also involves assisting with the Girls Club, part of the community-based aspects of the Elephants and Bees Project. The organization provides life-skills training on topics such as resilience and health-related issues for local young women.
After completing her internship, Kunkel will return to her graduate program in Australia.
“My research project will look at improving advanced reproductive technologies in macropods [kangaroos, wallabies, etc.], which will help conserve numerous threatened species,” she said. “Human-wildlife conflicts also interest me, so I’d love to return to Africa, pursue a Ph.D. and investigate mitigation techniques.”
Kunkel credits her undergraduate experiences and Penn State’s resources with helping her reach her goals and helping her set new ones.
“I went into college knowing that I wanted to study abroad, but I wasn’t sure how to do that while managing a STEM degree,” she said. “There aren’t many study abroad programs focused on animal science in Europe, so I knew I would be doing mostly general education credits.”
Kunkel doubled up on her STEM courses to block out a semester’s worth of general education courses she could take while abroad. “I didn’t have a specific country in mind, but I wanted to be centrally located to travel on the weekends and be immersed in art, culture and architecture,” she said. “Vienna spoke to me.”
Kunkel spent the spring 2019 semester in Austria through Penn State Global’s partnership with the Institute for the International Education of Students. During the semester, Kunkel visited 16 additional countries.
“You gain an incredible sense of independence and exposure to different cultures,” Kunkel said. “Other careers you may never have discovered can also present themselves to you.”
Danielle Smarsh, assistant professor of equine science in the College of Agricultural Sciences, said studying abroad is an excellent way for students to gain a global perspective.
“The experiences students have is something they’ll likely remember for many years to come,” Smarsh said. “Sarah is a wonderful example of a student who has learned so much from her travels and whose experiences changed her career trajectory.”
Kunkel added that attending a large university was a great way to strengthen leadership and communication skills in a group setting. Time management was also one of the most important skills she perfected at Penn State.
“I didn’t just go to class,” she said. “I had independent study projects. I was a teaching assistant and a member of the equestrian team. I also worked at the Penn State Horse Barns and did lab work. It taught me to be versatile as I balanced a mix of mentally and physically demanding work, ongoing projects and schoolwork.”
Kunkel encouraged students to explore study abroad opportunities. “If you can study abroad in any capacity, absolutely do it,” she said. “It was one of the best times of my life.”
Further information about study abroad opportunities through the College of Agricultural Sciences is available by contacting Ketja Lingenfelter at ketja@psu.edu or by visiting agsci.psu.edu/students/study-abroad.