Overview
The CALS Global Fellows Program supports CALS undergraduate students from any major in pursuit of challenging, professionally-focused summer internships and research placements that enhance and complement their career goals and academic progress, while enriching their undergraduate experience with diverse cultural and international immersion. Through key partnerships, the Global Fellows Program provides a platform for students to make positive and definable contributions to global organizations and communities.
Acceptance to the program is competitive and a limited number of students are selected each year.
Students who are accepted into the CALS Global Fellows Program will be required to complete 4 parts of the program:
- An in-person 7-week, Spring (session 2) pre-engagement 1 credit course ALS 2300, focusing on health and safety, cultural awareness, logistics and more.
- a continuous 7–8-week internship or research placement in an international setting
- and a 7-week, 1 credit post-engagement course in the first half of the Fall semester (ALS/GDEV 3105)
- Poster Symposium in Fall
The Opportunity
In partnership with Copa Investments, with the possibility of being stationed in Sao Paulo, Brazil or Asuncion, Paraguay. Copa Investments is a multi-faceted investment management firm that manages forestry and agricultural investments through private equity funds.
Current assets managed by Copa include:
- Eucalyptus plantations in different sites in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil,
- Sugarcane mill producing sugar, ethanol, and renewable energy, with its own plantations and third-party sugarcane supply, in Clementina, SP, Brazil,
- Avocado plantation in Cristina, MG, Brazil, and
- Irrigated rice crops in San Pedro, Paraguay.
Projects under evaluation include:
- Various timberland investments in different regions of Brazil.
- Irrigated coffee plantations in different regions of Brazil,
- Irrigated cocoa plantations in different regions of Brazil,
If in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the intern will be exposed to the day-to-day inner workings of an investment management firm, participating in activities related to investment theses development, due diligence, financial modelling of prospective investments, as well as management of existing assets. Specific technical field projects in the different assets may be proposed/considered as well.
If in Asuncion, Paraguay, the intern will be exposed to day-to-day operations of an agricultural company which is in the process of transforming former large-scale cattle ranching farms into flood-irrigated rice plantations. The internship period misses the crop season (late August through February), so the internship will be focused on assisting the CFO and COO in specific projects, which may include business planning/financial evaluation, as well as field and operational activities related to the expansion projects (rice processing mill, farm infrastructure, irrigation system etc.).
Placement Opportunities:
- Placements: 1-2 (in-person)
- Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil or Asuncion, Paraguay
Suggested Majors: Global Development, Agriculture Science, Environment and Sustainability & AEM. Some knowledge of financial modeling is required.
Accommodation: will be provided in Sao Paulo, Brazil or Asuncion, Paraguay.
Costs: airfare, internal transportation, meals, and accommodation will be covered. Personal travel and personal expenses are at the intern’s expense.
Requirements: yellow-fever vaccination (at least 10 days prior to flight), Brazilian visitor visa, depending on intern’s nationality (see application details).
Language: knowledge of Portuguese or Spanish is desirable but not a strict requirement. Office staff both in Sao Paulo and Asuncion speak fluent English. Most field staff, however, do not speak English.
