Meet undergraduate students of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (DFAS), UCC on a student exchange programme at the University of Rhode Island (URI). This year's programme is the first of the J-Term Student Exchange Programme instituted by DFAS in collaboration with the Coastal Resources Center, URI. The programme is designed to expose prospective undergraduate students of the Department to a multicultural setting and a network of students, within Ghana, Africa and across the globe. In doing so, the J-Term seeks to enhance the academic knowledge of participating undergraduate students in global fisheries and coastal resource management issues whilst deepening their appreciation to a multi-disciplinary approach and cross-cultural perspective to addressing these issues. This year, all five students are spending two weeks at the North Campus of the University of  Rhode Island, USA where they are learning at the Coastal Resources Centre (CRC). The first week of the programme is dedicated to academic-oriented activities that have elements of fisheries, aquaculture, oceanography and coastal resource management whilst the second week focuses on developing the interpersonal skills, team building, and critical thinking of the students in addressing socio-cultural issues. Thanks to the USAID/UCC Fisheries and Coastal Management Capacity Building Support Project for providing full scholarship for the exchange programme and the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project, CRC, URI for their support.  

Read brief profiles of beneficiary students from Levels 200 and 300 of DFAS.   I am Dorcas Essel. I am a level 200 student in the University of Cape Coast, studying for my bachelor's degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. My subject of interest is Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). I like reading a lot. The J-Term Student Exchange Programme at the University of Rhode Island (USA) will help broaden my scope in the field of ICZM in relation to global fisheries. I am eager to learn and adapt to studying in a different environment, to improve on my study and overall development in fisheries and coastal resource management.  

__________________________________________________________         I am Justice Yeboah, a third year student in the department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Cape Coast. I have great interest in almost all of my departmental courses, but in my three years stay as a student, I recently realized to have the greatest interest in brackish water ecology, seashore ecology and integrated coastal zone management. My hobbies are reading and sports. With much enthusiasm, I expect to be exposed to learning approaches in the fields of fisheries science and coastal management. I also expect to get the chance to embark on project and research works related to global fisheries and coastal resource management through exposure to the modern laboratory equipment now available at my great department. Furthermore I hope to embrace all the academic knowledge this memorable programme seeks to impact to participating students.

  I am Benjamin Dziedzorm Gawornu, a student of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Cape Coast. I am currently in my third year and will be completing my first degree in BSc. Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in 2019. I have interest in Physical Oceanography, Limnology and Fish Biology as these subject areas expose me to coastal and inland water bodies, and their associated fisheries. I listen to music, swim and draw during my leisure time. From this J-Term programme, I expect to learn to adapt to the different modes of teaching at the University of Rhode Island. I also expect to learn the different ways of life of the American people and to make new friends at the University of Rhode Island.

__________________________________________________________   Hello! My name is Elizabeth Agyekumwaa, a level 300 student of the department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science in the University of Cape Coast. I have particular interest in aquaculture entrepreneurship and management. I am looking forward to completing my four-year education in 2019. I am extremely delighted to acquire more knowledge and skills in fish production, maintenance and management especially in mariculture. Through this exchange programme, I looking forward to deepen my knowledge in my field of study and in the process of doing so further gain an international experience and get to appreciate American culture and educational system.

  Samuel Ayitey is my name. I am a level 300 undergraduate student of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science at the University of Cape Coast. I am very much intrigued by nature especially things related to the marine water body and its related coastal waters such as the estuaries and lagoons. Hence I am interested in subject areas like oceanography and coastal processes. I love to go for bird watching or watch movies during leisure time. The J-Term exchange programme is an opportunity which would help me to develop to my full potential in my area of study through exposure to new laboratory equipment and research methods. I will also benefit from a cross-cultural experience through students life on campus.  

Source: DFAS, UCC