Katie Daywalker, M.A.

Katie grew up on a rice farm outside of Willows before coming to Chico to pursue her undergraduate studies. In her sophomore year, she was surprised to learn that studying abroad could be feasible for her, even as a first-generation student with limited financial resources. This led to studying abroad in the Czech Republic through USAC, which changed her life.

Katie went on to work with the Study Abroad program at Chico State for four years and study abroad once more, in Thailand through a faculty-led program. After graduating from Chico State with bachelor’s degrees in both Anthropology and American Studies, she spent two incredible years living and working in Nara, Japan through the JET Programme. She returned to earn an MA in Food Studies at Chatham University and spent six years working with food and agriculture in various capacities in Pennsylvania and Colorado before returning home to northern California.

She is beyond thrilled to be back in Chico empowering students of all backgrounds to pursue their own transformative experiences abroad and away.  Katie spends her free time with her two young daughters, her husband, and dog. She is an amateur sewist, loves all things food (cooking, fermenting, gardening), and her happy places are on a bike, hiking in the woods, and milking goats.