Alexandra Lugo-Arroyo

In her own words ...

Where are you from, and why did you choose to study at UGA/CAES?
I'm from Puerto Rico. I chose to study at UGA because I was impressed by the course offerings and the resources available to students.

What is your major/degree program, and what department?
Dual Masters Degree in Crop and Soil Sciences with an emphasis in Sustainable Agriculture.

Why did you choose your major?
I did my undergrad in Agricultural Sciences, which mostly focused on the commercial and industrial side of agriculture and took many ecology courses for fun. However, during an Environmental Sciences internship, I was exposed to the concept of sustainable agriculture. Choosing Sustainable Agriculture allowed me to combine my interest in environmental science, conservation, and agriculture all in one.

What is your favorite class you have taken?
Probably Sustainable Agriculture by Dr. Dorcas Franklin or Terrestrial Biogeochemical Cycles by Dr. Dan Markewitz and Dr. Jaqueline Mohan

What has been the best experience you've had so far at the college?
Discovering all the available resources the Science Library has to offer, as well as the immense catalog of journals, articles, and textbooks.

What do you want to do with what you have learned here?
I want to start my own business and continue to get my PhD degree. 

How has your experience at UGA changed you?
Coming from an island with little funding for Agricultural Sciences, studying at UGA has exposed me to countless sub-disciplines and concentrations I could specialize in. Studying at UGA has helped me broaden my academic horizons and really solidify what I want to do in long-term future and with my degree.

Thinking of the word agriculture - what does agriculture mean to you? In what ways does agriculture impact your life and your culture?
Agriculture in Puerto Rico is stigmatized as being a "jíbaro's" (a poor country colonial man) job. Studying agriculture is important to my culture because it can bring awareness to this a scientific discipline and a successful entrepreneurship, fostering the local economy and creating self sufficiency in our politically turbulent island. It is important to me because it is a way we can help our island grow and prosper, creating resiliency that can significantly aid us in times of political uncertainty or natural disasters such as hurricanes. Sustainable agriculture can help us feed ourselves while protecting and bettering our resource rich island. 

What do you like to do outside of class — hobbies, interests, secret talents?
I like to go to the beach, do exercise, sleep, and play nintendo switch.