Exploring new directions with international mobility experiences
Student global mobility experiences shaped the course of Rebecca Asham’s education and career. Like many students, she explored different potential career paths before finding her place in the program at the University of Manitoba that she graduated from. She had previously considered becoming a veterinarian, reflecting, “that’s always been my drive in life, something with animals or the land – that’s where I feel more connected.” That path was not a perfect fit, but as so often happens for students, trying one new experience can open a world of new possibilities. First, she tried out an Arctic fieldwork course in biological sciences and describes how the experience “just changed my whole brain chemistry… That’s what I feel happy doing, because it’s still with animals, you’re still being active, [and] I love the research aspect of it. I feel like it challenges me more.” Asham was hooked on this kind of on-the-ground research and sought out new opportunities for fieldwork. She thanks professor and mentor Dr. Jane Waterman for encouraging her to participate in the Field Ecology of African Mammals course that brought her to South Africa in the summer of 2023, a pivotal point in her academic and professional journey.
At UM, global mobility experiences encompass a wide variety of programs that take students’ learning around the world. Experiences can include student exchange programs, studio trips, and even fieldwork courses like Asham’s. Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) funding is available to help students participate in these programs if they belong to a demographic that is underrepresented in global mobility experiences. Asham is of Ojibwe and Nakoda descent and is a proud member of Peguis First Nation, so she applied for GSO funding through the Indigenous student category when Dr. Waterman brought the opportunity to her attention.
Next, Asham connected with the UM’s International Centre (IC), where staff led her through the GSO application process. She reflects on the meeting portion with Naomi Fujiwara, part of the IC’s mobility team: “I was actually nervous at first, but when I got into speaking to her, she was like, ‘no, it’s nothing to be worried about! It’s just getting to know you, what you’re doing…’ That’s all it’s basically about.” With the support of IC and her professor, the logistical considerations for travel and accommodations were arranged with minimal stress. GSO funding is flexible, and recipient students can use the amount they are awarded towards a variety of costs relating to their experience. For Asham, she needed help to cover the cost of her flight to South Africa, and her GSO funds fit that need.
Once there, Asham began a rigorous but rewarding period of research work at the S.A. Lombard Nature Reserve studying Cape ground squirrels. “They’re super social – they’re like a different kind of squirrel in that sense… It’s so interesting what they do. They’re so cute!” Asham would set traps to capture the squirrels and bring them for different kinds of data collection, like taking measurements or checking for parasites. She even developed her own research question around the impact of parasite abundance on the squirrel populations and presented her findings at a conference once she returned home to Winnipeg!
As demanding as the research was, Asham and her team made time to bond and experience other sides of the nature around them. The first highlight was a week-long safari at Kruger Nature Reserve Park. She recalls many new images in the natural environment that brought her to tears, from her first elephant and lion sightings to the breathtaking sky. “Nothing can beat an African sunset. It’s so crazy. It’s so beautiful,” she reminisces. The second highlight was the friendships she forged with her peers. “I found many great friendships out there; I’m still friends with them today,” she explains. Getting to connect with those peers, who were PhD students, inspired Asham to consider continuing her education at a graduate studies level, too.
Global mobility experiences such as fieldwork courses are the kinds of exceptional learning events that change the trajectory of students’ lives. For Asham, this experience in South Africa and the GSO funding that brought her there helped her find and confirm new directions to strive towards in her education and career. “I will be wanting to go back,” she explains, “so it really did spark a lot of love to go back, and for the work that they do; I really enjoy it.” A temporary international outbound mobility experience like this can help students push the boundaries of their comfort zones and try out possibilities. As Asham describes:
“It really did solidify everything that I was thinking already, and I felt in my heart that I wanted to do. Then when I did my research, I got a big taste of what life would be like for an extended period of time doing data collection. But when I came home, I also had to do the stats for it, the presentation for it, and brainstorming with not just myself but with my supervisor and colleagues – I really enjoyed everything about it.
- Rebecca Asham – South African Mammals fieldwork course – Zebras
- Rebecca Asham – South African Mammals fieldwork course – Elephant
- Rebecca Asham – South African Mammals fieldwork course – View from vehicle
- Rebecca Asham – South African Mammals fieldwork course – scenic body of water surrounded by greenery
- Rebecca Asham – South African Mammals fieldwork course – Rebecca with binoculars spotting water animals
- Rebecca Asham – South African Mammals fieldwork course – Rebecca in the foreground on a plateau
- Rebecca Asham – South African Mammals fieldwork course – Elephant in tall grass
If you are excited by the academic possibilities and personal fulfilment an experience like this can bring, be sure to check out the International Centre homepage or contact international[at]umanitoba[dot]ca to learn about international outbound mobility opportunities including student exchange and McCall McBain International Fellowships.