My name is Jake Swanson (1811), and I’ve been a member of the Tau Sigma chapter of Beta Theta Pi since early 2012. This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Italy, Uganda, and South Africa to conduct research and complete an internship. In Rome, Italy, I worked for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and worked with a team to research livestock genetic conservation with emphases on the importance of local breeds, value chain analysis, and global development issues, all working towards improving rural livelihoods around the world. It was a successful project, and provided a solid foundation for future work.
In mid-June I traveled to the Kamuli District of Uganda and spent six weeks completing an internship in the Kamuli District General Hospital. I learned about the healthcare infrastructure within the country, and spent the majority of my time working in different hospital wards, and even assisted with the delivery of two babies! Spending time in Uganda was a life-changing experience, and I would highly encourage anyone to visit a developing country. It is impossible to adequately describe what it’s like to live in Uganda. One must experience it for himself.
I finished the summer by spending a week in Cape Town, South Africa, where I was able to climb Table Mountain and later dive with great white sharks, before I made the journey back to the United States, to my home in Ottumwa, IA. I’m looking forward to beginning my senior year at Iowa State this fall, and especially looking forward to the Iowa State Bacon Expo to debut this October. In January I was elected to serve as the President of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council, and one of my first initiatives was the creation of the Bacon Expo. This festival for bacon-lovers will feature restaurants and companies providing endless samples of their best bacon products, live entertainment and educational demonstrations. I know it will be a really great event to showcase everything the College of Ag has to offer, and to educate consumers on the methods and importance of pork production in the State of Iowa. For more information, check out the website (www.baconexpo.ag.iastate.edu).
As the first in my family to “go Greek,” I’ve been really grateful for the friends I’ve made in Beta. It’s an excellent support structure, and I believe we’re making great strides since we gained our charter last summer.