Magherafelt student says US exchange was ‘the best thing I’ve ever done’ after life-changing four months in America

Maeve Owens while studying at MSU took the opportunity to travel to Chicago

A student from Magherafelt has described her four-month study experience in the United States as “the best thing I’ve ever done” after returning home from a life-changing exchange programme at one of America’s biggest universities.

Maeve Owens, who studies BSc (Hons) Food Business Management at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), recently completed a semester abroad at Michigan State University (MSU) as part of the long-running CAFRE/MSU Student Exchange Programme.

The programme, which has been running for more than 30 years, has now seen almost 100 CAFRE students travel to the United States to study, with this year’s intake set to mark a major milestone as the 100th student prepares to take part.

For Maeve, the experience delivered far more than academic learning.

“It’s a truly life-changing experience,” she said. “I’ve become much more independent, confident, and resilient.”

From Magherafelt to one of America’s biggest campuses

Maeve Owens receiving her certificate on the successful completion of a 4-month study abroad at Michigan State University

Speaking after returning home, Maeve said the opportunity to study abroad was one of the key reasons she chose CAFRE in the first place.

Inspired by her sister Grace’s own year studying in America through the Study USA programme, Maeve said she immediately knew she wanted to follow a similar path when she discovered CAFRE offered an exchange partnership with MSU.

“So, when I discovered that CAFRE offered an exchange programme with Michigan State University, I knew straight away that I wanted to be part of it,” she explained.

Her time at MSU exposed her to a very different academic environment compared to Northern Ireland, with a much greater focus on continuous assessment rather than relying mainly on final exams.

Maeve also had the opportunity to study specialist subjects she would not normally encounter at home, including a Fisheries and Wildlife module inspired by her work with the Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Cooperative Society in Toome.

Although she described the subject as “quite scientific”, she said the module provided valuable insight into water quality and biodiversity that she believes will benefit her in the future.

At the end of the semester, MSU hosted a graduation ceremony for international students, where participants were presented with certificates to mark their achievements.

‘The whole campus turned into a massive party’

Maeve Owens and fellow student Sophie Patzold from Germany at the American Football Game at MSU

Away from the classroom, Maeve said American campus culture left a huge impression on her.

She described Americans as “incredibly friendly and welcoming” and said sport played a massive role in university life.

“There are eight sports stadiums on campus,” she said. “The football stadium alone holds 75,000 people, which is nearly as big as Croke Park.”

Maeve said home games involving the MSU American Football Team transformed the entire campus atmosphere.

“When the MSU American Football Team had a home game, the whole campus turned into a massive party called tailgating,” she explained.

“Families and friends would park up everywhere and have picnics out of the back of their Jeeps. It was so much fun and lasted all weekend.”

The scale of the university itself also stood out.

MSU’s campus spans five square miles and accommodates more than 50,000 students — around five times the population of Magherafelt.

“It felt like its own little city, with buses, banks, and even a police station,” Maeve said.

Friendships, travel and overcoming homesickness

One of the defining parts of Maeve’s experience was the friendships she formed with students from around the world.

She said she quickly bonded with a group of German students she met on her very first day, with the group later travelling together across several major destinations in the United States.

Their trips included visits to the Great Lakes, Chicago and Horseshoe Bend in Arizona, before finishing their time abroad with a two-week trip to Puerto Rico.

“I just know we will be friends for life,” she said.

Maeve Owens with her friends she met from UCD, Gergely Ungor Germany, Barry Lyons, Dublin and Sophie Patzold at The Horseshoe Bend in Arizona.

However, Maeve admitted that life abroad also brought emotional challenges.

One of the toughest moments came when she celebrated her 21st birthday thousands of miles from home without her twin sister or family.

“That made me feel quite homesick,” she said.

Despite that, she said the support of her new friends helped turn the occasion into a positive memory.

“My new friends at MSU made sure I still had a brilliant birthday, which I really appreciated.”

Maeve also said the experience taught her valuable life skills, particularly when dealing with unexpected problems such as delayed and cancelled flights.

“When things didn’t go to plan, I learned to think outside the box and sort problems out on my own,” she said.

CAFRE celebrates 100-student milestone

This year marks another major moment for the CAFRE/MSU Student Exchange Programme as CAFRE prepares to send its 100th student to Michigan State University.

To celebrate the milestone, CAFRE is hosting a reunion garden party at Greenmount Campus on Saturday 13 June during Open Farm Weekend.

The event begins at 3pm and will welcome former and current CAFRE exchange students along with their families for afternoon tea and the chance to reconnect with others who have taken part in the programme over the past three decades.

For those interested in studying within the agri-food sector, information on CAFRE courses is available at www.cafre.ac.uk

Further details and booking information for the reunion event can also be found in the events section of the CAFRE website.

The success of the exchange programme continues to highlight the growing international opportunities available to students from Northern Ireland, while giving young people from towns like Magherafelt the chance to gain global experience, build confidence and develop skills far beyond the classroom.