Susan Karimiha, Ph.D. Candidate and Research Assistant in the LSU School of Leadership and Human Resource Development has been awarded a competitive fellowship through the Association of International Agriculture and Rural Development.The Association's objectives of this fellowship program is to facilitate student attendance and participation in the annual conference, which is held annually in Washington D.C. Another objective includes broadening student vision and help build a broad array of social/cultural, economic, and scientific skills required to become an effective 21st century professional in international agriculture and rural development. Additionally, another objective is networking by providing opportunities for students to meet with influential individuals in universities, non-governmental organizations (NGO's), Congress, governmental agencies, international financial institutions and multi-national corporations active in international agriculture and rural development initiatives.Her participation in the Fellowship's Future Leaders Forum includes two days of visits to agencies, companies, and organizations (i.e. USAID, USDA-FAS & NIFA, World Bank, Peace Corps, UN/FAO, Chemonics, Dupont/Pioneer International, Millennium Challenge Corporation) engaged in international agriculture and rural development.Susan is PhD candidate and holds a Graduate Research Assistantship under faculty member, Dr. Sunyoung Park. Susan's goal is to use her research findings to improve poverty throughout the world, through more effective human resource development research and training to help develop sustainable solutions to peace, global resource security and economic development for future generations. She was previously awarded a Fellowship through the LSU Office of Research and Economic Development and the European Union's ERASMUS program at the University Grenoble Alps in Grenoble, France.