Louise Hass, BS '60, loves to travel and has been abroad more than a dozen times. Recently, however, she was able to enjoy a trip from the comfort of her Indianapolis home, when she received a postcard from Purdue students traveling in South Africa. They were the first recipients of a College of Agriculture Study Abroad Scholarship that Hass established in January.

Hass learned the value of travel from a young age. Her father founded a travel agency in the 1940s. She recalls the many trips her parents organized and the constant flow of foreign travelers through their home.

"By learning about other cultures, one becomes less judgmental," she says.

Hass

While a student at Purdue, Hass was awarded a scholarship covering her tuition and board for a study abroad experience. In the fall of 1960, Hass packed her bags and was all set for her journey to Leicestershire, England.

The night before her trip, Hass realized her passport was locked in the family's safe deposit box at the local bank. Despite the intervention of the bank president, there was no way to retrieve it before her flight. A flurry of phone calls resulted in booking a later flight. After many nervous moments, she finally arrived in England for what she describes as a marvelous three-month experience.

Study abroad wasn't nearly as popular then as now, and she was the first American student to attend Loughborough Colleges of Further Education (now Loughborough University). Nowadays, more than 23 percent of Purdue Agriculture graduates have participated in an international study abroad experience — the highest percentage of all the colleges and schools at Purdue.

Hass downplays her role in establishing this new study abroad endowment. "The important thing is the experience of the student," she says. "The impact of international travel is a life-changing experience. It has changed my entire adult outlook."

It is her hope that all Purdue Agriculture students experience the same transformative experience. To that end, she made the College of Agriculture Study Abroad Scholarship available for all agriculture students, regardless of financial ability or academic merit. "Purdue Agriculture has the potential for great humanitarian change. I hope to impact a better way of life," she says.

International Programs in Agriculture program leader Linda L. Vallade says Hass' gift will benefit many students who hope to enhance their educational experience with a study abroad program.

"The generosity of Louise Hass has enabled our office to award grants to students to offset the additional cost they incur through studying abroad, which in most cases is their airline ticket. Our students are very appreciative of any help they receive, and it often makes the difference in whether a student participates in study abroad. For those who receive a grant, this may be the first opportunity they have had to experience another culture."

Hass recently realized the value of her gift when she received that postcard from scholarship recipients traveling in South Africa.

"I was so surprised [by the card]! They had the experience I'd like every student to have," she says. "This is just as rewarding as making the trip yourself. It's rewarding in every way."

Hass says she hopes others will join her in contributing to this new study abroad endowment. To learn how your gift can enhance Purdue Agriculture students' educations, contact the Purdue Agriculture Development Office at (800) 718-0094 or agdevelopment@purdue.edu.

Pedley

Mike Pedley joined the office in January as director of corporate relations. Previously, Pedley served for three years as staff counsel in the Planned Giving Department of the University Development Office. Before joining Purdue in 2003, Pedley was in private law practice in Cincinnati and Toledo, representing clients in real estate development, estate planning and litigation.

Pedley graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1991 with a BBA. He worked for four years in the restaurant industry before earning his law degree from the University of Dayton in 1998.

Contact Schmidt at caschmidt@purdue.edu