Jennie Wang / Fourth-year Global Resource Systems Student

www.agsci.ubc.ca

Innovative programs allow students to design their own curriculum.

Jennie Wang never imagined that she would develop an increased appreciation for salsa dancing and Latin music as part of her undergraduate experience. But that was just one of many benefits to designing her own curriculum in UBC's innovative Global Resource Systems program. Wang specialized in the Americas and sustainable agriculture, and after two years of studying Spanish at UBC, she was ready to spend a semester at Escuela De Agricultura De La Region Tropical Humeda (EARTH) in Costa Rica. Within three weeks of her arrival there, she was conducting all of her courses in Spanish and was reading local novels and newspapers not long after that. "The cultural experience was great, but it was the hands-on experiments such as herbicide trials or composting with banana leaves that I really enjoyed," says Wang. "The experience confirmed that I'm in the right field for me."

What did you like about the Global Resource Systems program?

I really liked the flexibility of the program which allowed me to choose from a wide variety of majors and choose courses from many different areas including agriculture, forestry, sciences, geography, history, economics and languages.

How do you feel your experiences will help you in the future?

The Global Resource Systems program has enabled me to develop a strong background in agricultural and environmental fields and an understanding of the inter-relatedness of disciplines. This will be very helpful in any future work I do either here in Canada or internationally.

What is your favorite activity?

There are so many things I enjoy doing: snowboarding, gardening, reading, hiking, cooking and swimming, among other activities.

Credo:

I believe in a well-balanced Earth and a well-balanced personal life. Working towards the sustainable development of the earth's resources and achieving personal satisfaction are most important to me.