Student Profiles

Seven years ago, Rivas was lying in a hospital bed recovering from emergency surgery. After being forced to put her studies on hold, she is now set to earn a degree in animal sciences from the U of A.

From the frozen landscapes of the Arctic to the dense rainforests of Panama, this undergraduate plant sciences major conducted (and will soon published) his own research. Read how finding the right mentor and program makes all the difference!

When Alyssa Johansen opened Instagram two years ago, she had no idea that one photo would set her on a path that changed everything, including her major.

Now, a senior at the University of Arizona, Alyssa shares her experience as a Retailing and Consumer Science major in CALES.

Get to know the Fall 2024 Outstanding Students as they share their top memories of inspirational faculty, life-changing research opportunities, meaningful extracurriculars and favorite courses.

From rustic hostels to backpacking hotspots, Leon Schmidt plugs into whatever WiFi he can find to make sure he gets his homework in on time.

Explore the world with Leon, a nutritional sciences major and current adventurer in Australia!

At 24 years old, Amanda Bogden oversaw the production of 250 acres of broccoli, sunflower and zinnia crops in central California.

And one thing became abundantly clear: there is a leadership inequity looming in the agriculture industry.

We asked each of our 2024 Outstanding Senior awardees to reflect on their time in CALES and share their most memorable highlights.

It’s not every day that a student gets to draw blood from a lion or face down a young bull elephant.

For Isabel Tejada, however, those were just some of the highlights of her most recent study abroad experience.

For Ariana (Ari) Bootier, the challenges just kept coming – from homelessness to injury, to discouragement. 

But nothing would stop her from pursuing her lifelong dream of veterinary medicine.